I was at a conference last week. As it tends to happen at this kind of thing, I saw a bunch of people who I’ve known for years. It’s always exciting to catch up with folks and trade stories on how much we’ve all grown.

I even caught a glimpse of someone who, about 7 years ago, let me know that I was dreaming a bit too big.

Meaning, he felt that my goals at that time were unrealistic. He told me that I was setting myself up for disappointment and suggested that I lower my expectations and take things slower.

Initially, I felt deflated. To be fair, his feedback was sound and he delivered his perspective with a lot of compassion and respect.

But when I stepped back and reexamined my goals — I realized that yes, I was in fact dreaming big! Those goals were indeed a bit outrageous, but that was exactly the kind of outrageous that would fire me up and motivate me to work my tail off to make my dreams a reality.

If you tend to dream big in life, there’s a good chance you’ll face voices of dissent.

Even from well-meaning family, friends and colleagues. Tragically though, the most damaging voice of dissent often comes from within ourselves.

It’s our own self-doubt that we don’t have what it takes that can really destroy us. It’s the fear that we’ll lose steam and won’t reach the finish line.

In today’s MarieTV you’ll learn 5 simple but highly effective steps to combat negativity and self-doubt — especially if you dream big and want to bring an ‘unrealistic’ goal to life.

And in case you’re wondering, yes — I did hit those ‘unrealistic’ goals back in the day.

Once you’ve had a chance to watch, I’d love to hear your take on this topic. In the comments below, let me know…

What seemingly ‘unrealistic’ dream are you working to bring to life? What, if anything, has been stopping you until now?

Remember, share as much detail as possible in your reply. Thousands of incredible souls come here each week for insight and inspiration, and your story may help someone else have a meaningful breakthrough.

403 comments

Lara

This was just what I needed to hear today! About a month ago, I started working hard to create great content for my website, write a book, brainstorm for podcasts and online courses, and learn how to set up my business for success (thanks B-School!). When I think about where I want to end up, it definitely feels unrealistic, and way too big. But this “unrealistic” dream is getting my ass into gear for the first time ever, so I need to hold onto it. And hey… maybe it will happen!

I’m right in the middle of this now…looking for $450,000 in seed loans for my business and everyone is like, “Why would anyone give you that money?” and my response is, “Why WOULDN’T they?” I mean, seriously. None of these naysayers have ever done anything entrepreneurial, and my company is awesome. The return on investment is fairly bulletproof and I’m offering a decent interest rate so you know…why wouldn’t they? If I have to knock on a lot of doors, so be it. How many banks was it that Richard Branson had to approach before he got the millions he needed to start an airline? Impossible is nothing. #justwatchme

Thanks for this video Marie! My dream is to have my own photography business, I have the domain name, a website, the equipment and I believe I actually a real talent, but I get stuck when it comes to actually telling people, talking about myself and my work. I worry people won’t like my work and won’t take me seriously. I’m really working on overcoming this, not sure if I’m actually making progress.. but I will not give up.

Hi Nicole,
Being an introvert, I struggle with this too. I found this MarieTV episode very helpful.https://www.marieforleo.com/2013/11/susan-cain-introverts-networking/
Susan Cain talks about overcoming her fear of public speaking (insert ‘actually telling people, talking about myself and my work’) and what I learnt was that sometimes it takes baby steps but you will make progress. I have been worrying about not being taken seriously since I started BSchool and now I am at ease telling people about my app Take Two. I am careful about who I tell though, because not everyone will like what I am doing…and that’s ok because they are not my ideal customer.
I love your tenacious and courageous, “I will not give up.”
Remember Marie’s words, “It is about progress, not perfection.”

Ha, brilliant!
Seriously though, no avocados at the market sounds like a nightmare.

I would say this video came at the perfect time, but I think it’s ALWAYS the perfect time to hear this. I achieved a major milestone in the pursuit of a big dream of mine last week, and still that little voice is back going – “Yeah, but have you seen what you need to do next?! There’s no point in trying – waaay too unrealistic.” It takes daily work to tell that little voice to go grab some popcorn because WATCH ME!

Hallo Marie and your wonderful team my “unrealistic” dream is finally happen! In 7 years I have dream of going to B-school but my life have had another way fore my. BUT THIS year I made it. NOW I am going b-school and really doing it!

My dream is to spread self-love in the world. That would be the solution to so many problems our society faces today. If everybody learns to love themself, people do not behave in a desctructive way towards others, themselves and the planet anymore. That is my vision and I am going to do my part to make it come true.

For now, I just started a blog about the topic in German. If it grows, I can pay people to help me advance the English, French and Spanish versions, I started at the same time, but that I do not have enough time and passion to develop.

I hope you’ll here from me again in a gew years. 🙂
Be good to yourselves and believe in your dreams!
Thank you Marie for strengthening me belief. <3

I have a journal like book that I carry around that reads on the front “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.” Everyday I’m writing and doing something to make my dreams come true, more than ever now since my first love passed (my Dad). He was a gentle giant, and a real man.

My BIG dream is to sit down with Oprah on Super Soul Sunday and either be interviewed or interview her. I don’t really know how it’s going to happen, but I know it will happen. So Dream BIG!

Marie, thanks for this. You are so right about not listening to people who themselves don’t have a history of making their dreams a reality… I personally am dreaming of creating a super-cool website about books, but have been kinda hesitant since a lot of people who work in publishing told me it’s not worth it. But yeah… Why would I even listen? Wish me luck!!

Very timely! I have been working on creating a business focused on helping creatives reinvent, discover, and embrace their highest potentials. Some people are telling me I’m focused in too much on people who want to play music. What? My response is always, “Do you know how many people in the world wish they could play music and never imagined they could do it?” I truly believe music is one of the most powerful forces for happiness and healing in the world, and it’s my life-purpose to help as many people as possible get into the groove. Unrealistic? Hell yes. Loud and proud. Thank you for reaffirming my commitment to this crazy dream!

It is a beautiful dream!
I also believe that everyone can play music and sing.
if there are some people, that bring you doubt in what you do, you can find more inspiration in books about musical psychology. Keep music in your heart!

Thank for this 🙂 I have had my company for 10 year. It has been up and downs and everything in between 😀 When times are hard I have people around me telling me “when are you going to quit and get a 9-5 job” and when you are feeling down you start to listen but the Idea of not making my big dream come true is just to sad to think about 🙁 I am going thru B- school now and this time I will give my self time to really do it not like last year.
Thanks again for everything 😀
Greetings from Iceland

Congrats on 10 years of business, Anika! That’s a big accomplishment and a testament to your hard work and dedication. I’m so glad you’re not letting the naysayers get you down and we’re really happy you’re in B-School. 🙂

“Unrealistic dreams are totally where it’s at; that’s where all the growth and excitement in life comes from.”
Seth Godin echoes this by saying, “Many will say, ‘That’s not the way it’s supposed to be done,’ especially if you are a woman…that’s how you know you’re on the right path.”
After two years of development and creative direction, my seemingly ‘unrealistic’ dream of developing an app to strengthen relationships will soon be on the app store.
“Take Two – Two Minutes to a Better Relationship”
My lack of experience has been my perceived hand brake, but when I feel like quitting MarieTV pops into my inbox and I am back on track.
“It’s all about progress, not perfection.”
Thank you Marie and Team for being so inspirational and generous.

Huge congrats on Take Two! I’m really glad you made this happen and didn’t let a lack of experience or anything stop you. Dreams don’t always ask for a resumé when they call us to follow them––they just ask that we trust them. 🙂

Thanks Mandy,
I really appreciate your support and encouragement. I feel heard and accountable! One of the many things BSchool has taught me is to embrace the Martha Graham quote,
“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost.
The world will not have it.
It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable it is, nor how it compares with other expressions.
It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.
You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work.
You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate YOU.
Keep the channel open.”

MARIE!!!! YES GIRL- SPEAK IT!!!
I have been faced with multiple and frequent nay-sayers on my entrepreneur career path. And I gotta say, it’s so REFRESHING to hear the fear in other people’s voices when they share THEIR fears, insecurities, about how I’m gonna “make it”. And I stop their thoughts, catch it and turn it around on them. Some reverse pshychology if you will. I say it’s refreshing to hear their doubts because I KNOW I’m doing the right thing- I’ve create a life and business that is MINE. Everyday I go to sleep and wake up and I’m so happy to have built this life for me. Everything is possible, not everything is conventional. And happening the conventional is what makes you sweat a bit…..and that DEFINITLY means you are on the right path! I turn around the fears and I ask them outright “what’s something you’ve always wanted to do?” They tell me and I say “then why aren’t you doing that instead?”. Let me tell you, that look on their face is priceless and giving them the permission to consider actually doing what they want for a living is so empowering. I refer everyone who is considering doing their own thing to watch & subscribe to you- because you are the cornerstone of my cheerleading team. This team has many moving parts and other sets of cheerleaders but YOU have kept me going every week. I look forward to your weekly check ins and I share your videos with key ppl I know. THANK YOU and please keep this going!

That’s so awesome, Christina! So often people are looking for permission to follow their dreams, so it’s wonderful that you’re helping them consider that they can make their dreams happen no matter what anyone says. And thank you for encouraging people to watching MarieTV! We really appreciate you. 🙂

First, thank you for reminding your readers and fans that dreaming big can also mean making those big dreams happen.

Second, thank you for sharing your story. In my case, it was my mother who didn’t believe my goals were realistic.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a writer. My mom encouraged it as a hobby, but always asked what my “real job” would be.

To be fair, she was hardly alone. Many people, including some teachers, told me to “aim lower.”

And to be fair, our relationship had started to part ways in high school, when I was against my ex step father in every way, and both of our stubborn streaks prevailed.

When I changed my major from Psychology to English, she didn’t approve. When I was accepted to two summer writing programs post graduation, and I chose the one that would improve my creative writing (instead of the “practical” publishing one), she rescinded her financial help because it wouldnt “get me a job.”

After getting my MFA in Writing, I found myself believing what she said. I needed a “practical” job. I should be a teacher, or write for a company. Maybe I could be happy with that…

But when I moved back home to be with my now husband, I quickly realized that “practical” wasnt just *not* what I wanted…

It wasnt in my bones.

It took me 2 years to build back my confidence of wanting to be an author. In those two years I went from being a server, to a librarian, to now, working part time for a national magazine. In those two years, I only accepted jobs I wanted, with hours that would afford me time to write, with pay high enough I didn’t have to struggle. (Oh, I struggled, but over time, I didn’t. Every year, it got easier.)

Last year, I decided to go all in on trying to be a traditionionally published author. I wrote a YA manuscript AND three or four young children’s books. I wrote 3 pages a day in my journal, every day. I read over 60 books. And I told everyone I wanted to be an author.

And last September, I, because of the magazine I work for, met the right people in children’s publishing. I started collaborating and talking with someone who could publish my work. He told me I had “immense talent.” Because I’m a bit humble, I wont say more, but suffice to say, he was generous with his positive comments.

I called my mom, and told her the news. She said, “wow, I’m so proud of you honey.” I felt warm.

Then she said what I never in 100 years expected. She said, “I’m really proud of you for following what *you* knew was right. If you had listened to me, you’d be in a cubicle somewhere, doing something you hate, and feeling miserable.”

I started crying.

Since then, my mother and I have become close again, something we haven’t been in over 15 years.

I’m still working with the publisher to find a book thats a fit. The person I met has provided me insight I’d never have gotten elsewhere, and opportunities aspiring authors would kill for. (This week actually is a big week for many of those things.)

But I’m nearly there, and my mom recognized that, and my life and our relationship has changed because of it

So finally, thank you for creating a space for people like me to share their story. I hope it can inspire some to stick to their dreams, along with your incredible tips and wisdom. Thank you. 😀

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Gina! And congrats on your upcoming books! I’m so glad you followed what you knew was right, even when it was scary, and I’m really happy your mom is supporting your dreams now. I’m glad you shared this because it shows that sometimes the people saying our dreams are unrealistic today can be our biggest supporters tomorrow, and that’s a win-win for all of us. 🙂

I was at an event just last week where one of the speakers told his story about the challenges that he overcame. The one message that hit home more than any other is “I am enough.”

Stop listening to those that say it can’t be done, that it’s too risky. The point you make about asking yourself if this individual has ever achieved an unrealistic dream is perfect – why take advice from some who has never reached for something ‘unattainable?’

I always wanted to be a doctor or Actor. But fear has kept me from prusuing both. I feel like I don’t know where to start, or how I can have to separate dreams that don’t really match. I hope I can figure out something one day.

I am trying to take my coaching business off the ground. My dream is to coach performers from a yogic based perspective so that they feel like a start on and off stage. I do that by teaching the lessons of Ayurveda, healthy mindset, and making goals from an abundant place. I have a podcast and newsletter going for the last 7 months and I am proud to say that I have been consistent as hell. However I get waves of voices that stop me in my tracks and make me feel like I’m not accomplishing anything. My dream is to hold retreats in NY and worldwide where I teach these lessons to all performers and creatives!

Today I commit to getting specific with my dream, writing it down, and working backwards so that I have a concrete idea of how to get there. Visualizations like this are super helpful for me. Thank you for the reminder!

My unrealistic dream is to become a successful full time entrepreneur, author, and speaker. What’s held me back is fear and limiting beliefs. I have had plenty of “unrealistic” dreams that have come true or at least on the verge, like my dream to visit all 50 states by 40. I’m only one state away, Alaska, and it’s booked for May. I know that it’s possible, even when I can’t see how, but the fear causes me to sabotage myself and slow down any progress. I have tried a lot of things, like EFT, that have been helpful in my personal development, but there are some things that I just don’t have the courage to face without distraction, so I signed up for Vipassana, a 10 day silent meditation retreat. I leave tomorrow. I am very scared, but a small part of me is pretty excited. This is exactly how I feel right before I went to Marrakesh on a solo-cation. Scared and excited, but it was truly a life changing experience for me. I know that this will be so much more. Wish me luck!!

My dream is to be an A-list actressand win an Academy award. I want to inspire others to live their dreams, regardless of their past. In the last year I have booked a few commercial jobs, worked on numerous personal films, and signed with an agent in LA. This has been a dream of mine since I was about 14 years old. I got married at 20, grieved my father’s death, had 4 children and am now finally chasing this dream. One day you will see me on the big screen and I will be a household name.

My dream is to make a good living from my art so I can free myself of the debt holding me back and the dependence on my husband (the only one telling me it’s unrealistic and should be dropped) and the government’s disability pay. The debt and the bills are never going to stop me, but they are slowing me down.

Hi Marie,
Thanks for the invitation to write down our big dreams. I’ve always loved the idea of being involved with multiple companies at once, like VCCs are. But I don’t have a big stash of cash. What I do have is a high level of expertise in a specific area (operations for small businesses–women-led of course!) So 2 years ago I connected with an entrepreneur I admired and devoted “sweat equity” into her company. And guess what–it worked! I’m the COO and a 20% shareholder in a company that is growing like crazy. I actually forgot about the larger dream for a few months, but thanks to a big old kick in the pants from the universe, I’m moving forward again. I have a meeting with another amazing entrepreneur this Friday to discuss being involved with her business too. I envision running and growing 4-5 businesses while writing and speaking on how to run a business to create a better life and a better world. Thanks for all your encouragement Marie!

I adopted a senior dog (8/9 years old) from my local shelter and she is a SWEET and loving dog…Very smart. Just learned the trick “spin” and everything. Things are great. Sort of.

She is dog aggressive and my hope…Since I’ve seen her progress with other behaviors we are working on…Was that we could work on her dog aggression and tone it down a bit. My “unrealistic” dream is that she can be walked in calm harmony with other dogs in the vicinity without going all crazy and lunging, etc.

However, I have people telling me left and right that it’s impossible and unrealistic to expect her to make progress given her age. 🙁 I have felt helpless and close to tears, but then, as life sometime does, it popped this little gem in my inbox and now i”m thinking maybe it’s not as crazy as everyone says. Maybe it is. But I won’t know unless I don’t give up and actually give it a try….Not letting those people bring me down. I’m going to let my DOG decide what she can and can’t do. Not them.

That’s so true, Ashley. Sometimes people believe what they’ve been told their whole lives rather than what might actually be possible. Perhaps they’ve heard the old saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” so many times that they’re resistant to the fact that you CAN and you’re showing them that the only limit is their ability to imagine what’s possible. 🙂

Thank you Marie!
I’m in Bschool again (Loving’ it) and working on getting my travel journal Wonderlust out there. Words like these get everything in perspective and get me going!
Big hug from Amsterdam,
Merel

Marie!! You’re such a timely message deliverer!! Thank you for outlining and synthesizing the steps to help us chase our most unrealistic dreams! I have a dream of revolutionizing medicine and when I sat down to tell a few of my colleagues once, plan in place, detailed vision, they said “that’s nice Erica, but we live in the real world and we have to follow the template that’s set up for us in order to provide healthcare”. It left me deflated for almost two years until I started taking ACTION and the right people, programs, experiences and abundance has come in order to start chasing again. Now, it feels attainable again. It is still a monumental task and I have a load of people and industries trying to keep me down, but I’m going to keep on keeping on. Revolutionizing healthcare will happen!! Thanks again!! xoxo

Hi Marie
Im a 26 year old, has no education, no dreams, no passion for anything.
And I’ve also had a few ideas but the receiver always told me that to make that happen is not going to happen over night. Making it harder to believe in me and continue anything in life.
So today I want your personal help to figure out what I truly am good for. I love to feel satisfaction for my first time one day.
Thank you love Maritsa.

My dream is supposed to be to help children see the world, yet I am barely keeping the lights on, let alone seeing anything outside of my own neighborhood. *shrug* but this is the vision given to me, so every day I do what I can to move forward and hope that something gives soon. I stopped in 2013 because I couldn’t see how I was supposed to make it happen but I know now that I have to.

My dream is to be able to make a living from making jewelry. It will not always be my own designs, but always with my interpretation and color sense to it. What is holding me back is a few things: 1) I don’t know where to start or how to set up. 2) I need a some sort of initial capital in order to start making more than one or two pieces. 3) I’m working a full time job and do not have enough time to invest since any new business probably needs a lot of time and effort put into it in order to succeed. I’m afraid to quit the job I have without some backup. After the age of 50, it’s very hard to find a new job even though I have years of experience. Last year, I read some of the preparation work you asked and there were a lot of questions I just had no idea how to answer and I still don’t (there were also some questions I didn’t understand).
These are the major problems .

I also wanted to clarify that you don’t have to go into your business full time right from the outset. Marie built her business slowly over time, which allowed her to have side jobs that paid the bills while her business was growing and she was figuring things out. She talks about that in this episode: https://www.marieforleo.com/2013/10/bridge-job/

If you’ll email us at infoATmarieforleoDOTcom with the more info about the preparation work and what you had trouble with we’ll be happy to direct you to some additional resources. (I’m not 100% sure if by preparation work you mean the B-School launch videos or something else, though we’d love to help.)

I’ve been sitting at my office desk, trying to come up with an unrealistic goal, and I’ve realized that most of my goals have been TOO realistic. I think it’s because of Step 3 (flood yourself with positive examples). I’ve noticed that when I wanted to achieve something (personal or business related), I searched for examples of people who were able to achieve it (both people I know as well as people I’ve admired from afar). Your goals can seen unrealistic when you don’t have examples that prove that it’s achievable. Also, Marie’s advice on sharing your dreams with people who will encourage you is crucial. When I started to work towards transitioning from the 9-5 world to full time entrepreneur, I only told maybe 3-4 people, most of whom had the same desire or who at least wanted me to be successful and checked in with me regularly on my progress and encouraged me when I had setbacks. Definitely discerning who you share your unrealistic dreams with is important.

I have a lot of big dreams and they tie nicely together and it CAN succeed. The problem is me, myself and I. I have NO – zero – zilch money to get started. I am 67 years old, a widow and a minor health issue or two. (I am slowing down a little and tend to forget a few things.) That, though, is not enough to really make or break the deal, it is taking that giant leap from great idea, to action…the major problem is inertia. And when I start moving again, I’ve lost the momentum to make it happen on a consistent basis. I have started so many projects in my life and have succeeded in some impossible dreams but I was MUCH younger then. I have also had some failures (quite a few) and its ok. So now I rationalize, “so what if this one doesn’t come to pass” I survived failure before, what’s one more? And then the idea gets shelved. Money and momentum. HELP!

Talk about divine timing! I’m really stepping into my life coaching shoes. I used to just have my little toe in these shoes and finally I decided to put the whole pair of shoes on! I made a decision a little while back to listen to my own voice and not let other’s well intended fears and doubts hold me back. My own demons where doing an excellent job of that all on their own. I also surrounded myself with women who took the risk to leap and start their own businesses and learn from them. My “unrealistic” dream is to leave my corporate job this year. I have a plan and I’m determined to go for it no matter what.

Love love love this vlog!!
A couple of months ago I was on the daily talk to my mum unsuccessfully trying to convince her that starting my own business would be a great way not only to do what I love and what I am passionate about but also to help others. “I think this is not going to take you anywhere. You have this habit of believing that day dreaming is reality and that’s why you never achieve anything in your life. I wish you listened to me and stick to your job. It doesn’t matter what you like or what you want. The more you do something, the better you become at it and in time you might begin to love it!” It was then when it dawned on me “that actually not true! The reason I never achieve anything is because I listen to my mum. She keeps telling me that not much will amount of my dreams of hopes and so I listen and never achieve anything.

So I stopped. We talk once a month. I keep it to the weather and the condition of the roads. I quit my chartered accounting job and opened my NLP practice. Last week I had my first 3 clients – ok, one of them is a friend and she will pay for the treatment in instalments. But I’m living my dream and I get so much out of what I’m doing that honestly I would gladly pay them to come to me. Luckily they don’t know that! I LOVE MY LIFE.

I’m kinda in the middle of this right now too. I have always had the dream to travel the world but I got married young and my family really pushed me to work towards a “normal” career. Student debt always felt like a burden proving my parents to be right. Now divorced, I got accepted into a program to travel internationally for a year and I’m so excited. Just one little snag, I have to find remote working opportunities I can do while I travel… making enough income to pay for the travel and those darn student loans. I had one job offer already and felt on track, but they backed out of the offer 3 days before I was supposed to start my job. People think I have too high of expectations for being able to find a job that’s going to work, but I’m remaining pretty hopeful.

This was perfect timing for me, Marie! I am taking action around a HUGE dream that may seem impossible but I am proving, one step at a time, to be possible.

I had dinner with family on the weekend and spent the evening defending my strategy and timeline. Eventually, I said, “You are going to have to throw something way bigger than that at me to stop me from doing this. It is happening and you can either get on board or stand back and watch. Either way, you are going to learn how to get big, seemingly impossible things done.”

In the end, all it did was add fuel to my fire. A total blessing in disguise 🙂 These five strategies are perfect for me to concentrate on getting this done!

I took the leap to start my own photography business about 5 months ago. I had saved up some money which I thought would be enough. I’m now at a point where I’m almost out of money and my focus has turned to finding a job to support my family. I find myself constantly battling my internal thoughts as to whether or not I can make this dream a reality. I feel like I’m failing right now.

My questions to you is how do I continue to stay positive/focused about my dream when I’m currently focusing most of my energy on getting a job? I’m also considering a job position in a previous industry I told myself I would never go back to. I don’t want to give in to the man! But I need the money…I feel like I’m going back and forth. Hopefully this makes sense. The video was very informative, I struggle with the goal writing and action which are soooo important. Any help would be great. Thank you again.

Marie – always fun and re-affirming to watch your show. I especially like the tips to fast forward and everything is figure-outable. I know I let fear of overwhelm regarding the size of a project hold me back. I need to ask for more support because I know I’d get it. Lots of folks would be willing to help get self-development books into prison libraries (my dream).

Hey Marie and Team, Happy Tuesday!
This is exactly what I needed to hear this morning! {It’s like you’re reading my mind.} After starting week two of B-School, the thought of creating a new website was starting to feel overwhelming after I {made the silly decision} to look at other Interior Designer’s websites in the area. I’ve built websites before, so that part didn’t scare me from the technical standpoint and I was actually looking forward to it, but once I started looking at the sites of established designers it started to feel impossible and unrealistic that I could compete amongst them. I keep hearing that voice saying “Why would anyone choose you over them?”

But it sounds like I need to drown out that voice with my dream and remember to stop comparing myself and my business goals to what it feels like I’m up against. My design goals and voice is uniquely my own and I need to remember there’s value in that.

Yay, Noelle! I’m so glad this episode came at just the right time. As Marie says, “comparison is the thief of joy,” so if you find yourself comparing your work to others and need a jolt of inspiration, check out this episode: https://www.marieforleo.com/2017/02/comparison/ 🙂

I’ve been a dreamer for a long time but I decided to become a realist and I’m taking small steps each day to make it happened .. it’s not an easiest path but definitely satisfying! and my unrealistic dream is becoming more realistic and I’m getting more clarity too!!

Hey Marie! Thanks for the video! My big unrealistic dream is to start and grow my business and be able to quit my 9-5 this year! It’s big and unrealistic because I have no idea what I’m doing or if my business idea is any good or worth pursuing….That said I took a big leap and started B-school so hopefully things start coming together soon! Thanks again!

Right on, Ashley! If you haven’t already, definitely check out the Start the Right Business bonus program that comes with B-School because that’ll help you get the clarity you’re looking for. 🙂 We’re so glad to be supporting you on your business journey!

Great video! I would give it two thumbs up, (but only one is actionable) Years ago I had a “Dream Crusher” experience. I came up with a great idea, and shared it with the wrong person, “Who would ever buy that? That’s a dumb idea!” I sat on the dream for 2 years then started again, but by that time it was too late. Another company beat me to market. Today that business is a million dollar company. I wrote about it in my blog (Not sure if I am allowed to post the link here) But anyway, to any who read this… Don’t wait! Follow the dream in your heart! (So there!)﻿

Hey Ralph, it’s a tough lesson, but like Marie says, “There’s plenty more where that came from.” What your story says to me is that you have a tremendous knack for reading the winds of society and the market 🙂 Congratulations on being visionary!

Thank you! It’s amazing how we can take just one person’s comment and have that rule our life or bust our bubble dream. I love to write things down. It make so much sense. It’s way too dark in that head of ours to try to see things clearly. Anway, yes, I do believe for me, FEAR = ACTION and I have to just stop it! Otherwise I see other people’s success and then get mad at myself. It’s not very productive. And I sometimes feel things come much for easier for some people. Okay fine, so I have to work hard for what I want. But if I don’t do it at all, it won’t happen. So I network with like minded people, learn from unlike minded people, and keep working towards the dream. Keep it up everyone!! 🙂
Mary

Oh Marie, I’m in tears as I watch this video. Seeing your email in my inbox this morning was a complete joy. This is my 3rd round of bschool, and your message really hit home. I realize I put so much importance on other people’s opinions. I take full responsibility for this, it’s not their fault, it’s my own.

-Has this person achieved an unrealistic or impossible dream?
-Are they taking meaningful risks on a daily basis?
-Do you admire who they are, how they live and how they contribute?

Cue the tears Marie. I just printed these off and put them on my wall where I can see them every single day. Here’s to setting better boundaries when it comes to others people’s opinions on my dreams and to following intuition……it never steers me wrong.

I’m so happy this message was just what you needed to hear, Ali. Your dreams are important and your heart is your compass. It’s an honor to have you in B-School and if people can’t appreciate the hard work you’re doing to make your dreams happen, they can sit back and watch you accomplish them all the same without their approval. 🙂

I’ve been focused on your idea of calling oneself “multi-passionate” instead of words like scattered, unfocused or flaky. I am doing so much at once- grad school, starting a YouTube channel, launching my personal business in LA and online- some people around me say that I have too much going on or should just do one thing and then add the others when I complete my degree. While I do feel overwhelmed at times, I have really found a nice rhythm in the past six months and that juicy creative feeling is really flowing. It took awhile to get here, but I feel like it’s exactly what I want to see in my life right now in order to create what I see in my future life as well. This reminded me that by creating what I envision for my life, not what others have already done, I won’t ever feel regret. Thank you Marie and team! <3 <3 <3

I love this message as I’ve had some nay-saying of late both external and internal but it just tends to add fuel to my fire. A boyfriend I had several years ago told me that I lived in a fantasy world, that what I wanted out of life didn’t exist. I was heartbroken but I knew deep deep down that it wasn’t true. We broke up and remained friends and a few years later he called me up and said he was so sorry he said those words to me, that I should keep on dreaming big. He now travels the world teaching surfing and yoga and I own my own hoop dance business, married the man of my fantasy world and have a baby on the way. His words of dissent as well as those from teachers at school and other nay-sayers have only ever spurred me on to do exactly what they said I couldn’t. I do take time to reflect on what is being said to me, because sometimes their are hidden truths about timing or processes but I don’t let it detract from the overall dream and my ability to achieve it. It’s also about trusting that deep inner urge that you sometimes can’t explain.

I have based my life on “unrealistic” dreams in my career and was successful! Now, I am following another “unrealistic” dream that I am confident will also be successful. Through B-School, I am launching a gourmet dog food/treat company and food truck. I am not a dog nutritionist or a vet, but I am a girl with a dream and as you say, “Everything is figureoutable!”

Dear Marie, you always seem to share exactly what I need at the right time.
My question is – what if the negative person in your life is your husband?
I have fought the negativity for over 25 years. I don’t know what else to do.
Thank you for always being so inspirational!
-Signed, B-school grad 🙂

That’s really tough, Liz, and I’m sorry to hear you’re going through that. Marie has some episodes about what to do when the people around you are holding you back and dulling your drive (www.marieforleo.com/2011/05/people-holding/ and https://www.marieforleo.com/2015/02/dulling-your-drive/), though I can see how it’s more complicated when it’s your husband. If you’ll write to us at infoATmarieforleoDOTcom we’ll be happy to help you submit this question for consideration for Q&A Tuesday.

We were just talking about this – this morning! We launched our new website yesterday (thanks to B-School, Alumni 2013) and we really have HUGE expectations! But those little voices start in your head with the dreaded “doubt” – is it good enough, did we do enough, is our SM big enough, etc.
We know now NOT TO LISTEN to the naysayers, the boring people (who have never tried to be “out of the box”) and the voices in our head!
Thanks – it always seems that your Tuesday videos are EXACTLY what I need to hear at that very moment! Thanks for always being there! Rose

I live in the DC area, a location that has almost no fashion industry. I work full time in engineering. I have a family and spend time with them. I’m old.

That said, in September of 2010 I rediscovered my dream of being a fashion photographer. I’ve studied photography, I’ve worked to improve my photography, and in September of 2016 I’d worked up to having a professional fashion shoot in midtown Manhattan. It was fantastic! I’ve been dedicating some fixed tasks each week (roughly 14 hours) doing the tasks I need to do to become a fashion photographer. They’re the kinds of things one would do as a pro but without all of the business aspects. I have zoning issues (no pro photo studio in the home, but it’s okay for a hobbyist), so when I can move from this being a hobby I will. I may be old, but I’m not dead, so I’m also doing what I can to stay in shape. I have dozens of reasons this will never work, so they become challenges. I don’t know where it will go, but I know it won’t go anywhere unless I try.

ahh, the little negative whisperer in us who can suffocate if we let him… who does not know him and know the tides when he intimidates us and our ideas, between happy periods of growing with our dreams… I challenged myself by giving this whisperer color and shape — while creating in painting for example — and voila’, the bad turned into good. Repetition is key! It is not a one-time action, it works if it is continuous … wishing all co-b-schoolers a happy ride on the tide… 🙂

Being the first in the health and wellness to offer live and interactive online group fitness, bootcamps and yoga has been eye opening to building a business! Having a great idea and building it is exciting! Then there is the “waiting” for the “build it and they come”. That’s where I lose sight and I am very hard on myself as my dreams of building are unrealistic! However, your “brick by brick, inch by inch” comment landed with me. There is nothing wrong with having unrealistic dreams but continuing in action step by step will make it REAL!

My website and membership service for digital entertainment for senior retirement homes is ready. The service has been field tested for 10 months onsite in retirement homes locally where I live with outstanding results from the senors and employees. Now I am selling and marketing the membership service to the corporate HQs to get them to notice the site and demo the services. So far, not been easy. Each day I wonder when I will get a sale. Or when I should get another job.

You’re doing awesome, important work, Elle. Sometimes it can take a little while for innovative things to catch on, but when they do people always say how brilliant they are. We’ve got our fingers crossed that will happen for you too. 🙂 10 months of testing with outstanding feedback is excellent and definitely something to be proud of. Congrats!

Thanks Marie!
LOVE THIS! It put me back on track. I’m in the depth of B-school right now, navigating the logistics of the website and getting professional photos taken for the first time since I was in my 20s. And I’m feeling shaky! With cameras and tech problems stuff gets real fast, and doubt creeps in!
But actually I realized, growing up in the mid-west, the culture is very realistic, but everyone who used to tell me top dial it down, now supports me, because they know that when I get going on something, I’m gonna do it!!!!
Constantly encouraging myself with past examples, like immigrating, publishing fiction, having a baby despite physical blocks. I GOT THIS! JUST NEEDED TO MESSAGE IT OUT! In three weeks I know I’ll be including my website in the message board again!

Hey Marie. I’m applying to be a Portuguese citizen, because I’m a portuguese grandgranddaughter. I inttend to take my PHD there… and I’m doing exactly what you suggestted: I don’t talk to people who I know won’t support me about this dream.
On the other hand, my husband is struggling to start an online business we’ve been planning because he thinks we need to study more and so on… I’m trying to get him started…

I have this to say about my unrealistic dreams. I’ve got six figure student debt, bad credit, I’m struggling to find a day job, and my master’s degree isn’t even in the field that I want to coach and consult, hence I need further education! Naturally, with all these obstacles, fear, and doubt piling up I procrastinate too much.

But, I see how not pursuing, at least *trying* for my unrealistic dreams affects me day to day. It makes me miserable and depressed. I have trouble finding meaning and purpose to my days, and it burdens my relationship with my loving boyfriend.

What I mean to say is this, no matter how unrealistic or unreasonable, I have no choice but to work for my dreams, even if it often feels like a fool’s errand. I must do more than just go through the motions, hope, or daydream. I must take action just to make daily struggles and monotony more bearable.

I come to this website because it feels like someone is holding my hand while I struggle, telling me that the struggle is normal and not to give up!

I love watching your videos. I actually enjoy listing to several speakers and coaches but I’m not big on participating through feedback and comments. I figure today at this very moment, that it is time to make that one small change: a mini habit change, to change my direction and to get in the game. Thank you for your timely insight and information. I do have amazingly big dreams and every day is a new day to slay the talking bubble head upstairs down. I admire your tenacity and commitment.

Marie – Thank you for this video. As my BIG DREAMS is to help other hardworking, busy mommies go for their BIG DREAMS too! I just shared your video with some of them and I hope they tune into your site and sign up as an MF Insider.

I am also currently a B-Schooler and my brain wrinkles are happy to make connections. I listen/watch MarieTV as the constant pick me up when feeling defeated or if I feel like I am losing steam.

Like I used to say to my own students, “You have one life, why not do something GREAT!”

Hello Beauty Marie:
This episode fascinated me, just what I hear all the time, plus my work is not that important because I spend it on the computer according to them, “chatting”. So I continue on the path of being able to help others to have their own business with essential oils and achieve greater well-being, most of the time ignoring literal comments from people close to me, who only spread negativity because they have not done nothing like it.
So a big hug from Mexico, and I will continue to see you!

I have been working for years on my “unrealistic” dream! I am becoming a famous children’s book author…and I am in the process of writing the New Children’s Classics. I have made progress in many of the spokes on my Write Now! Inc. wheel, but this one seems pretty remote…like chasing the brass ring on a Merry-Go-Round!
So, today’s Marie TV has now sparked something exciting about this quest, once more. For this, I am eternally grateful!
Nancy

My unrealistic dream was to start my own business and take part in B School. I had no job, no savings and then a few days before B school enrolment moment closed I recieved some money for a piece of artwork I had sold. It was enough to cover my first instalment of B school and totally unlike me to take the risk that I would find the rest of the monthly payments but I signed up. I am loving B school, surrounded by positivity and amazing coursework and people. I didn’t tell anyone I was doing this as I knew in my gut it was right for me and I didn’t want the naysayers chiming in! I got news yesterday that I had got a job that I was sure I had no hope of getting so can pay for the rest of B School and funding my product trials for my own business in the future. Just shows choosing the positive things reaps the benefits!

Just started working through might B-school material and I can’t help but feel overwhelmed at the prospect of all of this. It seems so big what I’m reaching for, but I know it’s “figureoutable”. Thanks for the boost this week (and every week!).

I love this. As one who is a “realistic dreamer” who went after sensible things, I’m finally allowing myself to think big and go after what I really want, which does feel a bit big for my britches right now. But I keep reminding myself of Marie’s mantra: “Everything is figure-out-able.” Which means I just have to take it one step at a time and I can get there eventually.

I work with helping people release their limiting beliefs, and the “I can’t” belief comes up a lot, often followed by an excuse of some sort (“It’s too unrealistic, I don’t have the money, I’m too old”). Author Steven Pressfield (who has been interviewed by Marie) calls this the capital R – Resistance.

We really have to convince ourselves that “we can” and “we will.” If we can take positive action and release the Resistance (inside and coming from others), then momentum is more likely to take over and we can move steadily towards attaining our dreams. They might not show up exactly how we expect, or in the timing we want, but I believe that our desires must be obtainable, because otherwise why would we have them?

On another note, I think it’s important to investigate our dreams and hopes: are they coming from egoic wants, based on what we perceive we lack (significance, influence, power, wealth, etc.); or are they inspired desires from our hearts, based on what we truly know will empower and expand our experience as loving beings?

How did you know I woke up fighting the Negative Nancy voices in my head?!! Thank you for this supportive video episode—it was just what I needed to keep climbing into my dream. You’ve inspired me after taking a few days off of School….time to get back to work and build my business the way I know it’s supposed to be, because there’s nothing worse than letting your dream deflate! xoxo Sherri

Perfect timing. Thank you so much, Marie. I’m currently re-writing my first script for a TV-show, and it’s been hard. I quit my well-paid job as a journalist last autumn to pursue this dream.
However, there’s this constant voice in my head: “Why would anybody want to read your script?”, “What makes you believe that you can be a successful writer? You were not good at English in school. English is not your first language.”, “Are you crazy? Who are you to think that you can make a living as a writer?”- and so on. And on top of that people around me keep saying: “Well, in L.A. every cab driver has written a TV-Show.”, or “Only when you have insider-connections, you will get a pitch-meeting.” – blah blah blah.
I’m so glad that I checked my inbox and clicked on your email. It just gave me so much courage and I feel like I’m back on track now. THANK YOU!

Thank you Marie for all that you do and living your dream. My unrealistic dream is to walk 77 steps across a stage in May. I have been stuck in my head for way too long. ACTION! I know that will mean fail fast and often…but I am going to live my dreams by helping others reach their dreams!!

Really appreciate this because I have an unrealistic vision for my business – I want it to be a $20 million business. I’ve been doing this while all maintaining a job for the past 6 and a half years, and I am not near the $1 million mark. When something like this big revenue figure is the goal, how do you break that down into milestones when sales milestones are still pretty intimidating to me?

Hey Bebe! I appreciate you sharing your goal. Perhaps a slight shift in frame might help. How can you shift your focus from the gross sales $ to providing EXTRAORDINARY value to your customers? What changes could you make to your offer, positioning and product/service so that your customers are so damn happy, they can’t help but spread the word about you? You also might have to re-examine your price and profit margins too, but keeping the PRIMARY focus on delivering outstanding value to your customers — more than anyone else — can be a great shift to increase revenue and profit.

Thanks so much – this is thought-provoking. I sell physical luxury consumer products (beauty) so trying to shift to thinking how I can surprise and delight customers is an interesting way to look at this. A big challenge is my current small distribution (which I’m trying to grow), and I’m trying to grow online sales too, so surprise and delight – adding value, creating extraordinary experiences – applies to both sides of my sales spectrum. My profit margins are healthy, I just need more sales!

Hello Marie,
Loved this show as it is exactly where I am in life and work, the two go hand in hand for me. I love what I get to do. What has been getting in my way is all me. Currently I am working on stepping myself aside and out from behind my business, I tend to hide and I am changing my ways as we speak, or write, in this case. One of the most important aspects of my business is the story that I need and want to tell… I am shy and I am not a fan of visibility and as mentioned that is changing right now.

My big goal/dream is to be interviewed on your show. Lofty I know, but now it is out there and you have it. Let’s see what steps I can take to get there.

Great advice! Thanks so much for this! Just moments before this popped into my email I was mulling over lots of self-doubt about where I want to end up. I’m creating a website and business on the side and have big dreams for it…until the buzzkill known as self-doubt creeps in. This definitely helps me kick it to the curb and go for it with reckless, creative abandon! WOOT! Thanks for the motivation, Marie!

This was everything today! My “unrealistic” dream is joining a business retreat to Bali, happening in April. My husband, who is really worried about the financial end of the retreat, has a natural negative lens. Although I am admire everything about him, my natural gravitation to the positive makes our personalities clash in situations such as these. I am ready to take that leap and go for my dreams but I do not want to upset my husband. I know in the end he will be supportive and understanding of my wants and needs. Thank you for putting this video together, and thank you Bre for asking the question!

Ladies!!!! All your dreams can become true. I grew up in El Salvador and my whole life my dream was to come to the USA to get an education. My mom was a single mother who had survived cancer. My dad was never in the picture. No money, no resources no contacts. I work my butt for two years and a half just to pay for one semester tuition. My mother passed away and I was discourage but I have to give it a try. I apply and I got accept it. I have been here for 4 years now. Dreams can come true. A long the way you will get depressed, sad and discourage because things are not happening at the moment that you want. YOU HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE to make your dreams come true. Many times I cry because I felt alone. God help me and I your desires are noble they will came true. I am not in B-school but next year is my year. Thank you Marie!!!

Thank you for saying this. It can be difficult to find supportive people. Many people don’t want to see others excel because then they allow themselves to feel “less than” the person who is excelling. I have an older sibling who has mostly been afraid to go for dreams in their life. When I talk to them about my aspirations, I get the old “unrealistic”, Debbie Downer talk. Being the younger one, I have allowed myself to be influenced and waffle and question myself on that BAD advice. I’ve taken some damn big risks in the past contrary to my older sibling’s advice and have come out far more ahead. I truly must learn to stop discussing my dreams with this person because I give them too much credence with them being an older sibling. They call my new goals “hobbies”, even though I have succeeded in turning one of my “hobbies” into a long-term career. The other thing I’m realizing is that my sibling tells me this advice under the pretense that they care about my well being. I think they are kidding themselves. I think they don’t want to see me do more because of jealousy and because they compare themselves to me and their self esteem is low. They do this same thing to their own child and have held them back in life. Okay, I truly get it, now. I love my sibling. This is my responsibility. I should not use them as a sounding board for support. They have a right to claim to be content to live the life they want, and I have the right to not be content and go after my dreams. Neither one is right or wrong. I just have to find the right support. Thank you, Marie. I’m 52 and am still growing into becoming a true adult.

Incredibly powerful insights, thank you so much for sharing. Finding the right support is so important, and carefully considering the source of any feedback (especially negative), can be game-changing. We’re cheering you on!

My big dream is perhaps, in some way similar to many I’ve read about here: develop amazing content for my blog and social media, attract a huge audience, convert a lot of my followers into high ticket clients, and the like. But the purpose behind all this is somehow different: I would like to learn, develop an expertise as coach and motivational entreprenuer so I can show people back in my country of birth, how to thrive, live a better life and be happy. I want tons of money, but to invest in education and micro credits for small businesses in my country of birth. I feel I owed it. My roots, part of who I am, my college and post graduated education were possible because of the investment in education the country used to have. I’m 53 and I’m confident I will achieve my dream. Thanks Marie for the extra inspiration!

We need to hear the inpiration to overcome the feeling of pursuing unreasonable dreams. I get that advice from self or others, when the time is rough, particularly when struggling in the midst of meeting the family responsibility. I normally listen to myself more than I listen to others, hoping that hard work will pay at the end.

Dream, Dream Big.. or maybe at 60 years old, my dream is to help others dream big as I had my time of dreams come true. My newest dream is I wish to help others, as it is totally worth it to DREAM BIG, So totally realistic. Mentors are essential and like Marie says with a little help from those who believe in you everything is figureoutable. I say, Rehash the past and compost what does not serve you and nurture what does.

This is totally what I needed today! Starting to feel my focus and motivation slipping lately. Doubt kicking in that maybe my established business is all I am supposed to be doing and all this big thinking and soul searching for something more is just not worth it. But deep down I know that’s not true, so this post was exactly the swift kick in the booty I needed to help clear my head, put my pile of lists a side and just find some downtime to restart and refocus! Thanks for being fab Marie! You are the best!

(Please excuse my gramar, my first language is french.)
Marie, You answered a question that I had this morning while I was doing my meditation. I am a massage therapist specializing in energy healing. I have clients that are facing a lot of big movement in there lives (cancer, depression, anxiety etc). I am very lucky that they give me the privilege to be part of their journey helping them face and heal their fears, pains and questions. Since I was very young I had a calling that was always inside me that was to help and accompany people that were suffering physically and emotionally. I worked and am still working very hard to be able to offer this service that is my calling. But since a couple of years now, I always have the same dream that comes in my meditations and it is so real…. This morning I had this vision again during meditation and my question was : WHATTTTT !!!!!???? is this dream.. The dream is that I see myself being called by all kinds of people in need around the world. I travel to give them energy healing and it’s my mission, sometimes it’s in hospitals, sometimes in homes… but the crazy thing that’s always over the top in my vision, is that the first person that I travel to give this care is to Oprah ! ha ha !!! I know ! crazy right ? But Marie’s video of today made me think that it’s not the story of how or with whom you will get to do what you desire, but rather how passionate you feel about it and what are you willing to do to bring it to life. This passion is the source of creation and the foundation has to be out of LOVE 🙂
Thanks Marie and have a wonderful day everyone !

Hi Marie,
I started to write my dream and thought it’s stupid, but I’m back.
So my dream is to help people who are going through a depression, people who are fighting no to be in the depression meanwhile it’s already there, people who have a beloved one in depression. I want to help by sharing how I went from a life where I had it all, to the descent to hell, the trip in hell and how I healed in a nutshell by just breathing.
This is my dream, helping people by sharing my story, and spread the message that yes I went through hell and now life has a savor I could have never tasted before without the depression. But to do so, I needed to face and make friend with my demon.
Like Thich That Hanh says “no mud, no lotus”.
And today I took a small step by creating an account on Instagram and posted my 1st image.

I wish I had the “clap” emoji for this one Marie! You always deliver inspiring content when it’s needed most. My unrealistic dream is to make it on Marie TV… duh! I love being an “inspiration station” and helping others channel their inner entrepreneurs. Businesses hire me for my “out-the-box” marketing ideas, so now I’m working on transcending all of my goodies into a course of some type. So see you soon, can’t wait to dance with you at the end! #mpressme

I have been dreaming of leaving the corporate job I loathe and immersing myself fully into my empowerment business so I can help women find and unleash their power, ultimately becoming the person they desire to be and creating a life they want to live.

What holds me back is my “responsible” nature in that I am holding onto my corporate job/paycheck to pay down debt. I’m 46 years old. And, while not old, I’m also not young anymore. I have lived in debt for 25+ years and that stress weighs heavily on me.

The other thing that was holding me back is that I had no idea what I was doing or how to start. B-School is definitely helping me a lot in this area.

Debbie, we’re so glad to hear that B-School is helping you get started – that means the world to hear! I definitely hear you on the “responsible” nature – I totally have that too, and I think in a lot of ways it can be a good thing.

Maybe it’s a matter of finding ways to scale back or shift your schedule so you still have a regular job or paycheck coming in while you’re transitioning to something new. We did a great episode recently on how it can be a great thing to still have a day job but also go for your dreams, so if you haven’t seen that one too, you might like to check it out: https://www.marieforleo.com/2016/11/day-job-and-follow-dreams/

Hi Thanks for reminding us to Frame Your Dream and put it into action.
This morning I spoke to a woman who made me realize how important it is
for us to have other women who are going for it every day and to support each others dreamsk.

My dream is to make at least $100,000 a year while working no more than 20 hours a week. The unrealistic part? I have no idea how. My career to date has been as a public librarian – something I was very passionate about at the start, but ultimately led to burn out and frustration. I want to live a life filled with travel, dance, good stories, and a chance to explore everything that the world has to offer. I want the freedom to follow my passions on my own terms. I guess just writing this comment has gotten me started on Marie’s first step – here’s hoping that inspiration follows!

My unrealistic dream used to get giggles and polite smiles, now when I tell someone I am going to buy an island and develop a retreat center, they ask where the island will be located. This has occurred over years of proving I can do anything I set out to do. Now I just have to wrap up the finances – which is simply another step.
Yes, I get scared that this is a huge goal, yes, I wonder if I might fail, but if I ever stop to think about putting this up on a shelf, the feelings of uneasiness are far worse. Accepting all the good juju offered in the mean time! Thanks for this timely video to remind me I’m on the right track – it always helps!
-E

My dream is to build an online course for the heath and wellness industry professionals, (coaches, therapists and practitioners in any modality) who are solopreneurs or healthprenuers and want to build a more profitable rewarding practice. The foundations are mindset, behaviour and authentic selling skills. I am taking Amy Poterfields Courses that Convert program to help guide me. I really want to help these experts have a greater reach so we can all have healthier communities. Helping them overcome their fears of selling is my goal. My apprehension around this is getting the following on Facebook so I can promote it globally. I know I can do it, I just want to go big, really big. I want thousands of students. In time…

For the past few years, I’ve been working to bring to life my dream of representing and connecting all the people in the world “doing good”. Empowerment, inspiration, collaboration and expansion come through representation and connection. We all live in and share the same planet and when the world community of people creating good are connected and represented I believe we’ll see positive change happening on a local and thus global scale because collectively, local actions create a global impact. 🙂 I full heartedly believe that people around the world want to make a difference, but they sometimes feel like they’re just one person. Providing a measurable way to show the global population all the people who believe in, and are creating a just and empowered world community is a dream some would call “unrealistic”, but our world needs a little bit more of that! Thanks Marie
P.S – So excited to be in B-School!

Melissa, that’s such a great question, and I know you’re absolutely not alone there. It’s always the toughest when our biggest critics are so close to us, and keeping them in our lives while also honoring our needs can be a careful dance.

One thing I might recommend is having certain topics you don’t bring up with her at all – sometimes it’s about establishing boundaries that help support you. This could be something you talk to her about if you feel comfortable and you think she’d be receiptive, or it could be something you decide for yourself and have a kind, prepared reply in advance if something comes up that you’d rather not talk about.

Navigating our closest relationships aren’t always easy, so being clear with yourself and identifying those boundaries can help us better enjoy the time we do spend with those in our lives. Just a couple thoughts, but I hope it helps!

My big dream is to stop trading time for money and free up more of my time and energy for things I am really passionate about. Right now I run my own full-time business (yay!) and I’m financially solvent (great!). It’s a billable hours business model, though, which means that if I’m not billing, I’m not making money.

I’d like to create a physical product that I can have fun marketing and selling, and eventually change my financial model enough such that I can comfortably take a snow day or mental health day without losing money or having anxiety about hours and deadlines. I have ideas for what the first product will be, and now I just need time to produce and test version 1!

Every time I see a new chapter of Marie TV, I feel so inspired and unstoppable. Thanks, Marie and Marie’s Team. I got into B-School, because even though I have a job with a great salary, I want more, I want that “unrealistic” dream.
My family and friends are trying to persuade me all the time, not to quit my job. Also, they try, every now and then, to present a vision of the situation, like if I’m not being grateful enough for what I have today. But that’s not the case! I want more!
And I’m not just referring to my financial situation, I want to follow my heart and what I feel passionate about: Coaching people 🙂
I know I can do so much better than this! That’s why I got into B-School, because I want to transition as smoothly as possible to this new chapter of my life!
Thanks, Marie! We will keep moving forward!

Super needed this video today! Thank you. Unrealistic dreams only seem unrealistic bec i know those goals will require me to stretch and change to the next level version of myself. And because I don’t know yet who “she” is, I get intimidated. (scared of myself? lol) My unrealistic category includes starting my career in fitness, financial independence and residual income from a lucrative, value-driven website. Ultimately, a Movement Center, a facility where people can train, heal and inspire through physical movement. Just writing this out feels inspiring.

You don’t have to take PERFECT action, just ANY action – love it! Thank you 🙂 It’s so true, that’s exactly what I do. Also I have lots of unrealistic dreams and focus on them daily. More I focus, less they seem unrealistic 🙂

Thanks for this Marie! Awesome video chockfull of wise insights. Thank you!
I saved up for almost five years, and this year quit my 6 figure corporate/pensionable job (everyone thinks I’m nuts) to become a full time author. I know I write well – everyone says I do and I’ve had great feedback from my beta readers. I’m ecstatic to be able to wake up every morning to do what I do now. My novel series is about young women around the world who fight for their rights and become independent and free – a modern day international Charlies Angels team of kickass heroines if you will. My non fiction books are personal development journals for young women. Through my books and speaking, my Big Hairy Audacious Goal in life is to inform, inspire and empower 1 billion girls and women around the world – especially those who live in the darkest corners of our planet. Did you know there are approx. 12 million girls and women in the sex slave industry? Did you know 103 million girls are missing from school because they were pulled out to either become bonded slaves to do menial work or to be married off as young as 7 to men 20/30/40 years older than them?. This MUST change. We cannot live in a world where our sisters and daughters are subject to such horrifying abuses. I want them all to have the same opportunities I’ve been so fortunate to have. So I plan to change the world and part of my big dream is to eventually get an interview with Marie! That will be a pinnacle. 🙂

Thanks again Marie for all you do, and for inspiring the rest of us to live our lives to the fullest.

Hi Marie, Hi Brie, Hi All, what a great video. Isn’t any dream unrealistic – that’s what discerns dream from real-ity, once made real, it IS realistic 😀 Two of my favourite sayings fit right in here. 1) “Soon the people who didn’t believe in you will tell everyone how they met you!” (Johnny Depp) and 2) “I can’t believe it!” (Luke) “That’s why you fail!” (Yoda). I have those two on my collage with images of the three, right under my Dream Seed with what I AM CREATING. Everything that’s now ‘realistic’ was once a dream. This is the very stuff that my movie makes visible (once it’s done and then ‘realistic’ LOL). Still writing it. Hope this inspires you all as it inspires me. Makes me smile each time I see it. Also, an apple can’t understand the dream of an acorn to become a giant tree. Let’s have compassion for the apples – and not consult them on Acorn Qs. We’ve got Marie, Team Forleo, and each other for that. Thank you all so much for being here, dreaming big and standing tall. For an apple indeed it isn’t realistic to became an oaktree 😀 (Nawwww!!) Love love xx Tanya

I can honestly say, if I told a person my goal and they told me it was unrealistic, I would laugh in their face and probably not keep them in my life. I’m the queen of making shit happen in my life and I’ve been fortunate enough to never really care what people think.

So good. I’m on the verge of making my two years of brainstorming a reality. I’ve been sharing my plans with people and was SO nervous about that, but have been met with so much encouragement! Truly blessed with that. I’ve started setting deadlines and scheduling a photo shoot to make sure I’m putting my plan in place. My husband is at basic training right now– when he comes back I want to be able to show him all that I’ve accomplished as well!

My unrealistic dream is to have an online business that is so successful that I can afford to travel the world and live wherever I want. I sort of laugh because that’s exactly what so many B-Schoolers have made happen! I am a B-Schooler and I am diligently working the Modules and I am excited to bring this dream to fruition. I also want to find my husband and have 2 kids. I’m 39. Some may say that’s unrealistic…I’ll have fun proving them wrong knowing that I did not settle in life, I reached for the dream that God put in my heart.

Hi Jackie, that sounds so beautiful. How about already seeing yourself INSIDE your dream, making space in your home for your match-made-in-heaven hubby. Great that you said ‘my hubby’, because I heard a story of someone intending to meet a husband, and she did, he was married indeed LOL. Being in B-School means being in the SUCCESS MATRIX, teehee. Congrats. Looking forward to this round, too. I believe in you, cheering you on, x Tanya x

A great inspiring video by a very intelligent successful and also attractive woman! I think that most of us would LOVE to achieve big things in life yet we feel bigger down by all of the naysayers and then some of us myself included just give up.let’s stop this madness! Who cares what people may say.that’s just them and their own insecurities! I like the saying that if someone says your dreams are unobtainable then that’s just the reason to go for it! Great video.love it thank you so much Marie you are indeed an inspirational woman. We need moreladies like you in this world.Thanks again.

I am I singing teacher. I think I’m currently financially maxed out on my current business model, not having much room for growth. So, I’ve been dreaming about opening a singing school, and a similar business model like a yoga studio, doing more group instruction. Then, making individual instruction-which I mostly do now for more committed focused students at a much higher rate. What is holding me up from realizing the stream? The learning curve. Knowing that I’ll need to invest time in learning about business and marketing and away I don’t already know. Time that will take away from my current musicianship as well. And, recently I realized That I am self sabotaging myself with doubt. I don’t believe in myself in a way that many of my students and colleagues in my own circle believe in me. So I’m continuing on my personal growth work journey, waiting for an opening an awakening To realize my value .

My dream is to support communities in Port au Prince, Haiti in eliminating child slavery (the majority of which are girls ages 7 – 16) while helping these communities create a vision of and plan for a financially and socially sustainable, respectful, supportive and thriving environment.
I have begun the process and am partnering with an international health organization with an office in Port au Prince. We are in the beginning stages of a process called Human Centered Design where we work with members of our focus group and all groups that affect influence over these families, neighborhoods and businesses to fully understand the issues and causes of child slavery. It’s our belief that the people of these communities know best what needs to be done, they just need help organizing and implementing a mutually agreed upon plan for change.
My biggest obstacle(s) are the negative voices in my head which makes Marie’s video perfectly timed. Every single one of her five steps are invaluable with astericks next to “getting rid of or interrupting negative voices by replacing them with positive examples of successful big dreamers” and “take action…it doesn’t have to be perfect action, just action to keep moving forward”. These five steps are simple, but POWERFUL. Thanks, Marie!

This is exactly what I needed to hear today! I have been struggling to go all out in pursuing my dream of being a full time health, fitness and lifestyle coach. I have been taking small steps to achieve this goal, but I will stay on my path and continue focusing on this as an end-point to continue taking the actions needed to turn this goal into a reality!

This MarieTV video seemed to be hand picked for me today… I’ve been creating my business ever since B-School last year. My business is very hard for me to discuss and promote because I’ve been a closet spiritual healer and teacher and now my angels/guides have given me a ‘ blessed assignment’ to deliver my healing paintings to the world. I feel in my heart this is really my mission right now and also feel like I will do well with it… but my real challenge is the negativity that comes from my husband. My self-esteem plummets and I can’t find my mojo until I go out with my choir friends and get boosted up again. I don’t have any income right now and know I will someday. My husband does not share his income with me, I have to make my own income and we split the bills. My husband has huge fears around money and he attracts his fears, I see it all the time. He hates that I work from home (on nothing as he calls it) and he has to go to work…. I told him that this business will bring in the money we need. I truly have faith, but again, my mojo plummets and I feel repressed and distracted. My friends think my idea is awesome, but I wish I had more support at home. My husband is the opposite of me. He doesn’t follow his dreams, complains about his life and his job, and does nothing to pursue something better. He tells me he can’t because I can’t keep a job, which I can see, but I feel he just doesn’t want me to work for myself if he can’t… He tells me to get a job! I’ve had 25 jobs… I’m done with it, it got me very far and now I feel I can do my own thing. I pray and have faith and talk to my angels who buoy my confidence, but it’s so tough on my kids. My 3 Keys therapy helps me a lot and I’ll do some sessions today (obviously I need them :)).

Marie I will follow my heart and refer to this video as often as needed.

Kristin, I’m so sorry to hear you aren’t feeling supported at home in the way you need. It’s always incredibly difficult when those closest to us aren’t supportive of our dreams and goals, and so often it’s because they mean well, but have their own fears and beliefs too that may be holding them back.

I hope this episode helped serve as a little point of inspiration to you as you’re working toward growing your business – you have our little team in your corner cheering you on!

How do you do it woman!?!? I swear you’re an angel because I was just riffing in an email (to myself) about these awful feelings I’ve been having around starting my own life coaching business and then here you are… with the EXACT words of encouragement and practical advice I need. Incredible. Thank you so much. I’ve decided to start my own life coaching business but have been struggling a bit because I don’t feel like I quite have my own life figured out and feel that disqualifies me for the position. Unfortunately, while I am inspired by the thought of a great morning routine or eating healthy and doing yoga, I cannot seem to execute these things for myself. This fact made me so upset today. I just couldn’t understand it. If I enjoy the thought of those things SOOO much and know for a fact how good they are for me, why aren’t I doing them? What in the hell is holding me back? Guess what… it’s my thoughts. It’s also me focusing on the past which is never helpful. So I told myself that I’m just going to keep trying. Most likely, I will succeed eventually and then, those thoughts will be null and void. I am so ready to frame this unrealistic dream and paint that picture! Thanks again Marie!

The unrealistic dream I’m working on now is to help all women live bigger lives! <3 How that's taking form in its 1.0 iteration is a guided journal called UnSabotage Your Life. There are about 50 women walking through this journal as a beta right now but I have big, big dreams for how to help women get out of their own way and live the life of their dreams! Like big dreams… that are much, much bigger than me.

So, how I'm moving forward is, I have an enormous 2'x3' sticky note with my dreams on it pinned up in front of me so I don't lose sight of where I'm going, but I have taken the time to chunk out what small tasks I need to do daily to move this all forward. When I get overwhelmed, I just look at my tasks and am like "oh! all I absolutely need to do today is write a blog post, etc!"

P.S. Does anyone else have a tweetable dance?? Every time Marie wraps everything up in a tweetable and that music comes on, wherever I'm at – desk, car, gym – I always do a little dance. Just had to put that out there and see if I'm the only one! 😉

I reach out to you all the way from Holland. Yes, I have a BIG dream, and I am willing to manifest it. As I am an artist, a portraitist my heart is with artists and their career.
So my dream is to create an online warehouse, a worldwide warehouse for the arts, with many disciplines in the arts. Where each artist can open their own webstore for their own art. From paintings to graphic design, interior design, illustrations, courses, workshops, an employment agency for artists, etc. etc. etc. I’ve got it all written down.
An aspect of the main website, which has to be build into it is an complete business suite for artists where they can keep their career sustained in an orderly fashion and work on their marketing.
So I’ve already started on it and I want to help other people. I could really use some good advice to keep the courage…

I love this! Especially TIP #3. I’ve recently been reading a couple of biographies of young people (who humorously acknowledge the fact that usually people in their late 20’s early 30’s don’t write memoirs yet) that are highly successful in artistic (read unrealistic) fields. (One of whom was a dancing violinist. I mean, how often do you hear someone say I want to make a (great) living as a dancing violinist?) Anyway, reading their success stories through slightly younger eyes than mine has fired me up SO much! It’s a maximum case of “If they can do it, so can I!” Or rather, “If they can do it with so little life experience, I sure as heck can too!” I of course, abide by the other 4 tips too, but this one hit home very recently. Thank you again for all that you do Marie!

Thanks for this video and five steps. I have always been a dreamer but at times I haven’t pursued my dreams. And this step of framing your dream really speaks to me, as I have always been more of a spoken word and thought kind of person. But since following you and taking B-School, I have started to write things down and journal. 😊
Love reading and listening to you and your insight. Thanks

My most unrealistic dream in the early stages of my Makeup Artistry career was to move out to Hollywood and to become famous for creating a look. My friends said, “Oh you will be back in Dallas in 6 months, there is so much competition out there.” That fueled my drive to prove them wrong. Ten years later I did makeup on the famous blue eyed Mimi on the Drew Carey Show. I learned that anyone can achieve any dream, but it is important to define what you want to feel when you get there, kinda like saying when I get there I want to be happy and fulfilled. Otherwise, you walk away from your dream. So it is important to say I want to feel something like wow this job looks like this and it feeds my soul.

Another unrealistic dream was that I wanted to do makeup on the President of the United States. I set that goal when I was 19. I said, “When I do makeup on the President I will know that I have achieved the ultimate success and I will take what I have done to the next level by teaching other makeup artists how to achieve the things I have done.” This year I achieved that goal, but what was funny was that I had done makeup on Trump when he was a guest on the Drew Carey show. I learned, don’t be attached to how your dream shows up in your life.

So now I have created my next unrealistic dream and that is to take 30 years of professional makeup artistry teachings accumulated with metaphysical wisdom to create an inner outer beauty program that helps other makeup artists fine tune their art and learn how to become energy balancers and therapists on set. The goal is to make a difference for those sitting in the chair before they go out to speak to millions.

So how I have been keeping things going is by watching Marietv for my inspiration and to stay on track. You have helped me tremendously in making that huge transition of stepping from behind the scenes to expressing my voice in the world in a new exciting way. Every time I think am I going to be able to do this? It seems so big, I just stop and listen to your show and look at how I can take action with what I have just learned. As you said take it brick by brick, which is important especially when it feels like I just swallowed a watermelon and get overwhelmed by everything there is to do and the huge learning curve that goes along with everything there is to complete. I just continually go back to why I am doing all of this work in the first place and it re-centers me. My intention is to open up a whole new way of looking at beauty bringing ancient philosophies to the modern world to empower, enlighten and to inspire leadership in others.

Thank you for listening and continually putting content out there to inspire me as well as others. Your content always reminds me of how important it is to get out of my own way and that the time to take on big things is now.

OMG Laura! What an powerful concept you have! Especially given the aforementioned presidential connection. Harnessing and influencing peoples’ energy for the greater good will no doubt cast a ripple upon the waters of change worldwide, no matter who is in your chair. Bravo, you innovator!

This topic is so close to my heart. Right now I am a grad student in the US (originally from Serbia) and I remember how many people told me that applying for colleges in the US is going to be close to impossible, how standardized tests are a nightmare and how I might end up very disappointed. And ye, here I am! All that skepticism did not help me and I had to consciously choose to stay positive and it worked. 😀 Right now I am working on figuring out a new career path for myself, that will merge my technical skills (engineering and research) and my creative skills (writing and professional brainstorming). I have no idea what will that eventually become and it makes me feel so uncomfortable (I guess we would all want foolproof 3-step procedures, but it doesn’t work that way). And I feel a lot of skepticism in myself and in my surrounding, but I think I owe it to myself to hold onto my vision and stay positive and believe in my vision. I would wrap it up with a quote from George Bernard Shaw: “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” Let’s keep dreaming unrealistically and unreasonably!

Thank you for this episode, Marie. Honestly, I’ve cast my pearls before swine so many times that I’ve now become afraid to talk about my business plan, but I know that it’s perfect and will blow the mind of everyone who knows me. I’m running toward it full-force, giving it my all and ignoring everyone who’s encouraging me to go into a new field or go back to college for a degree I’m not interested in. I’ve spent years taking jobs I hated and researching college programs all for the sake of easing the worries of my loved ones. I’ve wasted so much time and I’m done. I know who I am, what I love, what I want, and how I can rock this world.

Beka, stay focused on your goals and less on who’s approval you get. All that matters is bringing your idea to fruition. I know it hurts when those who you want to be supportive don’t understand or are fearful for you. Sometimes people just dont get it. So dont let it hold you back; its only a distraction. Go for it!

The timing couldn’t be any better for this video today! I got into an argument with my brother last week while I was explaining my business ideas to him. His response felt so hurtful and unsupportive I got super upset.

I’ve been tossing around an idea for a specific type of spa, and taking it to a small franchise level. My brother told me it was a bad idea to start a business if I was planning to ever move away from it. When I told him about awan I know who runs a business remotely from where she lives, he balked the notion, explaining an unsuccessful experience he’d had with franchises. So he personalized it, stopped hearing me and shut it down without giving me credit for doing my “homework.” I quickly realized I had to stop seeking outside approval, especially from those who are risk-averse and keep connecting with other women entrepreneurs and dreamers who take action–who MAKE things happen. Today’s vido was the extra shot of reassurance I needed to keep my chin up and my laser focus honed. Eyes on the prize!
Thank you so much Marie!

Every time I decide to pack it in, something like this video shows up to keep me going after my ‘impossible dream” ..thanks Marie and team , excellent advice. I’ve written the steps down and posted them on my wall to remind myself. My impossible dream is to open a new type of resort village, and even though I have no experience, my coach told me today that people buy into the energy of who you are. Even though I am no expert in developing resorts, I am an expert in creating dynamic, fun and impactful communities, experiences and environments!!! I am on fire baby! Thanks for the added fuel! Xo

I am an DMD and an expert on myofunctional and face fascia therapy but i don’t want to work in one place, in my office (in Athens / Greece) and i don’t want to have the solution for the problem, the pain, the malformation but the fun and the educating on line school and shop to travel free where ever i want and work from my laptop and live with my son in another country thinking of NY (for some years 2-3 maybe) i want to explain the importance to our 24/7 live of isometric exercises by functioning consciously
i know that myofunction therapy is that all about but us i observed at the 2 congresses i was attend(L.A. 2015 and Chicago this month with 45′ presentation about prevention for newborns for symmetrical children), all people/doctors they actually talking, teach about but they don’t really perform in their life (at breakfast and lunch time i watch everybody is my habit)
so i want to consist and explain it clear to all and give tips how we could do it and have a real live performance symposium as it should be
i want to give an emphasis to myo-fascia function education and training more than a therapy
i want to share it to the world more us a fact than us a solution
and maybe doctors who use it us tool for their patients will use it for them selfs more as an exercise and have better shape (don’t kitting i do that last 10 months with great results, i look better, thiner and younger, is for longevity for sure)
i will use pictures and a presentation as well as a mini dinner with different texture and hardness and call it training dinner
we could drink our water and coffee and have our snack for 3 days and mimize each other to help realise better and learn our body to do so
we mimic each other and thats also a function which i use to learn and to help others to gain good habits (is how kids learn)
is another approach

what do you think?
isn’t it big dream or what?
and please how am i gonna get done i need to spend hours and hours with my laptop to create my e-school please any advise will help or we could be partners on that you would love it

Ah! So timely! I was doubting myself so hard last night as I looked up bloggers and people in the field that I dream of starting my own business in…Food/Alcohol & Travel! As I perused their amazing sites I found myself sinking into despair…they should be bringing my dream idea to life, not me! They have 5 years of history and content already making them super credible. I have a crappy unsuccessful blog. Who do I think I am trying to go do something that I technically have no skill or training to do, just the passion? That will never work. Who am I kidding? The spiral went on and on. While I’m still digging myself out of last night’s hole this video was the perfect pick me-up I needed! Well that and asking 20 people what my top 3 qualities are as part of my B-School homework 🙂 Helpful all around, thanks Marie!

Wow, what a powerful message Marie + what a perfect timing.
I’m 56 years young, always had been employed + now starting my own business as an Intl. Motivational Sales Trainer. Starting this June I won’t have a monthly regular employee-paycheck anymore. +…..the fear + uncertainty factor kicks in …isn’t this crazy?

So exciting, Gabriele! The fear and uncertainty are definitely something we go through when we’re out in the world taking bold steps, but there’s so much fun and excitement there too. We’re sending our best wishes for diving into your business in June!

I am working along side an energist & really enjoying the experience. I am trying to set up a Charity to buy a Grade II listed building & turn it into the local School, our School is too small & local children are being turned away.
I have always believed that I have the potential to be an ‘intrepreneur’, Richard Branson word for his employee’s who show signs of being an entrepreneur….
I know I can do this!
My Vision is SO strong Marie, I can see it so clearly, feel it so near, but I’m still waiting for a sign. Meditation is improving too.
I am learning to Trust that the Universe will show me the way, if its my destiny. People think the project is doable, including the Head, but too massive to actually take on. I won’t give up, until it’s no longer possible.

This was perfect for me and my friend today. She was just saying how sick and tired she is of her parents negativity. I on the other hand have a wonderful husband who thinks my dream business is totally unrealistic and no one will buy anything off me. He believes in me when it’s an idea of his. I am going to prove him wrong. especially since B-School is showing me how to create my big dreams. Thank you Marie and Team for your fabulous work on and of MarieTV.

Thank you, Marie! Your videos always give me the extra something I need to push my visions forward. My “unrealistic” dream is to bring a whole new way to play with dollhouses to the world of barbie lovers! I’m going up against the “Big Guns” on this, such as Mattel! But what I offer is so much more personal and special, so I just have to do it! Thank you for all you do for creatives like me!

Kimberly, I just checked out your website (my sister and I played with Barbie dolls a LOT as kids) and let me tell you, if this existed when we were kids, we’d have demanded our parents to get us our own little personalised doll house rooms & add-ons for each gift-holiday! My sis and I used to make up stories and “make movies” using our dolls, with scripts, costumes changes and what not. We even had an annual award ceremony (winners decided by lottery haha). My sis used to even stitch barbie clothes. This was all about 17-20 years ago. I am so so so excited for your new business. I hope it reaches all the barbie-obsessed girls out there. I think Barbie play had a lot to do with developing my imagination and creativity as a child. You’re helping other kids take their imaginations even further. All the best to you! 🙂

Thank you for this! I needed to hear it! My big dream is to be a voiceover artist I’ve taken lots of classes, and purchased equipment; as having a home studio is now necessary to audition for parts. So now you need to be your own sound engineer too, not just a voiceover artist. I get bogged down with learning the technology and recording myself and posting. It’s so confusing, that I just get frustrated and give up. I need to take action and just purchase easier software to learn. My other negative self-talk is that celebrity actors get all of the good parts these days, so why try? BAD BAD self talk! I know it comes from the fear of trying really hard, and possibly failing. So what? right?

I have today made a decision to go for a dream that I have been brewing for years – get out of my head Marie!! Wait, wait, please don’t go, you are so good for me. I am going to host a Record Breaking Hula Hoop Convention (so many details – DM me for the scoop.) What changed is I now have a partner who feels as excited about this as I do. I know with our powers combined that so many world record challenges will be broke with hula hoops. Opposed to the usual light bulbs, lamps and wine glasses that get broken with hula hoops. Thanks so much for the advice.

“The antidote to fear is an action.” is my new mantra. I have dreaming of being a published author. I want to write books in English language. Why is this a “wild” dream for me is that I haven’t even written an article for a magazine. English is not my first language.

The thought that I have never written a book before, or I have limited resources, e.g I do not have enough funds for paying editors and I have to strengthen my command of English language etc, stop me from going after my dream.

Thank you for providing step by step action based strategies. Thank you for asking us about our struggles and insights.

I was always a dreamer, so as my mom said it’s my superpower.
Currently I’m pursuing my dream of becoming a fashion photographer and I am lucky to be surrounded by people who believe in me.
However, I am being swamped in these thoughts that there are only limited count of seats out there, or that it’s unrealistic in the fashion world nowadays. But mostly, what stops me is my words to myself that I’m not ready, I don’t know enough, I’m awkward at communicating, people won’t get my accent and take me as a fraud.

Mostly, I understand that it’s all stupid ideas when I articulate them out loud. And continuing to find ways to pursue my dream. That’s why I joined B-School!

My dream is to be making a part time wage, about 20k a year, from my handmade business by the time my daughter starts school… In a little less than two years. Totally unrealistic. But I’m going to try anyway.

Wow! This was so inspiring Marie! I was told in high school I could never become a registered nurse because of my epilepsy, I thankfully grew out of it and ended up becoming a neonatal intensive care nurse. I had to resign due to my health, but now I’m on the road to recovery, I’m in the process of starting a blog, so that I can then go on to write a book, that is my ‘unrealistic’ dream but I will work on it. Word by word, day by day, blog by blog then book by book. I just want to help people, that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. Thank you again. Ps I loved your interview with Cheryl Strayed :-). Sending you bucket loads of gratitude and love. Love, Ally xoxo

I just want to tell you Marie…that no. 1 “You look great, but your hair looked especially good today on this program. I believe it was rolled in a different direction or something and boy…that really pulled your look and power…in the visuals….to…geth…er!”tee hee
LV…smokey g.

Siiiighhh…oh Marie. There are so many great nuggets in this video that I don’t know which to comment on first. Instead I will share this transparent (and embarrassing) moment:
I’m always aggravated when I have to go to my 9-5 when I’m having a really creative moment and all I want to do is to pour that energy into getting my consulting company off the ground. I look at my job as a hindrance, obstruction, distraction, etc.
So today was an unexpected snow day – Blizzard Eugene. Yay, right? Nope, instead of using my new-found time to develop my ideas and get moving, I wasted it by staying up late and binge-watching a tv series and then sleeping in this morning as a result of said binge-watching. Then I took a long nap this afternoon. It’s now 8pm and I’ve done nothing to “advance the ball” as I like to say.

I share all of this to say, it’s not easy to create something from nothing but a dream. I don’t have a manual with the instructions and format to follow – like a MacDonald’s franchise. My creative work and abstract business planning generates a subconscious, paralyzing fear that I was unable to admit to myself (let alone this forum!) until watching today’s episode. As I previously stated, there were many nuggets in this episode. But the simplest and most powerful nugget for me is the fact that action combats fear. ANY action! It doesn’t have to be proofread, look polished and perfect…Just do something! I’m going to do ONE thing to “advance the ball” before going to bed tonight… Fear will not win this day!

They say the universe gives you what you need when you need it. Just recently I’ve had people tell me that what I’m doing is so hard and others are trying and not finding success or that I had to do things a certain way and I WAS LETTING IT GET TO ME!! No more! I’m going to remember that I know myself, that they aren’t me and that I shouldn’t let anyone stop me from trying with my whole heart. No matter how scary that is. I’m thinking of quitting my soul-sucking job sooner rather than later, supporting myself through freelance work (climate change expertise), while getting a photography business up and running. Should be a piece of cake, right?

I just came up with my “unrealistic” dream 2 days ago as I was working through B-School. The very first exercise gave me the clarity of my purpose and the next allowed me to see how I could craft that into a profitable and fulfilling business. I thought, why not bring study abroad-like life-enriching trips to corporations? It’s a win/win – companies can tout giving back through pro bono/volunteer work in the destination and encouraging employees to use their PTO for charitable work, employees and the companies benefit from increased diversity in experiences and thinking through cultural interactions, and assuming I can align with green/sustainable vendors everyone can feel good about minimized environmental impact of the trip. I still need to refine the idea…I just had my lightbulb moment a matter of hours ago, but as Marie says, everything is figureoutable! I can’t thank you enough Marie and Team Forleo!!

I’m not quite sure exactly what my BIG DREAM looks like yet. Need to follow your first two steps to help with this – thanks for those by the way.

It’s something along the lines of changing the way nutrition and growing, cooking and eating food is taught in pre, primary and high school – starting with my home, Australia.

I’m a freelance copywriter. I just moved to Malaysia with my boyfriend for 1-2 years so influencing the Australian curriculum from here may be a little tricky but I’d love to start nutting it all out. When I’m not writing, chasing invoices or working on my ‘business’ (I still don’t have a bloody website after 3 years), I’m in the kitchen, at the grocery store our out for a meal.

Combining writing, food and my desire to contribute in some bigger way – this BIG DREAM sounds like it could be my winning ticket. Wish me luck.

Bummed I let myself miss out on B-School for the third year in a row. But I’m determined to have the $$ ready for next year.

Love having MarieForleo as constant resource for inspiration and knowledge! Keep.It.Up

Just what I needed to hear!!! I have been tinkering around with an online business and I am afraid that its too big for me and that I will fail. However, I do have a dream and I want it something fierce.

Thank you, Marie! As always you are inspirational for the *Big* dreamers out here. I’ve always wanted to be a novelist. Ten years ago, I wrote my first novel, submitted to the marketplace a few times, and met with rejection. I gave up, temporarily. I just wrote my second novel — until now it’s been living in a box in my closet because I didn’t want to face the rejection again. My big dream is to stay with it, write one after the next until the right person says, “Yes.” It’s a big dream, but not that complicated.

I’m older now — and wiser — but I wished I had not given up those ten years. I wish I would have stayed with it. Good thing, it’s never too late. This time, I’m not letting go. Not for rejection, not for naysayers. I’ve finally figured out that it’s my life; I don’t want any regrets. Thank you again for speaking to all of these roadblocks. This is a great place to be each week when we all need to be reminded why we keep going — and why we should never stop…

Hi, Marie!
Thank you for another very relevant and inspiring video! I’ve been unemployed for the last 2-1/2 years, at least that’s what my family considers me as being. I’ve been paying bills by painting furniture, making candles, & operating antique booths & small Etsy shops. My “unrealistic” dream is to start a business that will grow to provide a 6-digit income & allow me to live on the beach. I guess a lot of people share that one! I’ve come up with many ideas that I think are really good & something that I’d love to do, but quickly get bombarded with a slew of negativity from my husband & immediate family members, when I share it. These are non-entrepreneurs that believe a corporate 9-5 is the only realistic thing for me to go back to.
I am no longer sharing ideas with them, but I am not alone! I am in B-School & working on my current “unrealistic” dream surrounded by my many new friends & supporters in the B-School community. My future customers & the beach are awaiting my arrival!
Thank you, Marie & team! XO

Hey Marie! Thank you for the Fabulous contribution to my Tuesday! No surprise there –I have two “Unrealistic” dreams that I am bringing to the fore: 1) i’m giving a lecture on leadership, culture and financial sustainability in veterinary medicine (No one is doing this in our profession locally, and risks possibly No one may show up); 2) i’ve created a product that is the first of its kind in our profession and I am figuring out how to bring it to the market. I’m excited about both, I have never worked in products only in services; so little nervous and unsure about the second.

That said, I’m still going forward and I really don’t care if I look like a fool or it fails but I’ll have done it without regret. And, I just may help some people along the way and that is my goal!

It was not a dream, it was an idea. Buy an abandoned bank in an inner-city neighbourhood and install a hair salon, cafe and art gallery and make everyone welcome. Those with no experience in entrepreneurial risk taking thought I was crazy. Those who took risks and became successful thought it was brilliant. We opened our doors, became part of the community with a goal of becoming successful while helping others do so too, and we changed the neighbourhood. Those who struggled, struggled less, families moved in, small business bloomed, we founded a local business commission, hosted neighbourhood clean-ups and showed up. 12 years later we sold our business, opened one in NY and we now live our next life. A better one. One where we don’t work as hard but still have the riches of a full and meaningful life.
Don’t listen to those who say ‘You can’t.’ Listen to those who say ‘You will.’
Cheers!

I’ve always wanted to own a retail store (or several!) and I tend to be my own Debbie Downer. It’s easy to come up with excuse after excuse and then do nothing. So, no more! Even though I’ve never known a store owner I could learn the ropes from, I’ve decided to work towards my “unrealistic” goal regardless. Thx Marie!

Hi my marie my goals are to become a published author and a psychologist and also to have my own business the obstacles are that people are always telling me to do easier goals and that it will be to hard for me to achieve them. I want to achieve these goals do like you said by writing down my goals and doing the other 4 steps also read a lot of biographies of successful people thank you for all your great videos and tips you give me Marie it really inspires me all the time God bless you bye
Sincerely,
Matthew McGuire

It’s true ~ there will always be people with nega-vibes. If you always listen to them you are definitely never gonna achieve anything in your life. It’s also true ~ consider the person who is telling you whatever because if that person doesn’t have the requisite experience then why inna heck are you taking advice from that person.
In my late 20s I had only been just starting out in art and illustration. I was working at an ad agency at the time and the art director there was saying, don’t do art full time. Nothing will ever come of it and nothing will ever happen to you.
Thanks, Uncle Ted. Now I am working on my 14th solo exhibit, I’ve exhibited in major art galleries and I’ve illustrated a few children’s books. I hate to say this (but I will anyway lol) ~ maybe, just because art didn’t work out for you x you didn’t get to do what -you- wanted to in art, doesn’t mean it’ll be like that for everyone else who wants to have an art career. Thank You God for not letting me listen to Ted. Please bless him, and please bless everyone who is struggling with their dreams because there is just so much negativity out there. It’s true, too ~ you really just have to take the wheel and filter all that shiz out ^_^ /

That was such a powerful, actionable, and also fun episode today, Marie! I love all of your videos, and I constantly feel immense gratitude for the four groovy, successful women who put me onto your Q & A Tuesdays a couple of years ago. And… B-School!!!! I’m sooooooo sooooo happy that I’m finally able to do it this year!!! Awesomeness! I’ve got a lot of life chaos right now, so I’m not going as fast as I want to, but I’m doing it!

Hi Team Marie,
Marie spoke about the power of reading biographies to feed your mind. Would you be able to recommend any of your favorite, inspirational biographies?? I would love to know.
Thank you for all the wonderful work that you and your team has accomplished! Much love from Tokyo.

Hi Mari! Thank you for your note 🙂 I’m not sure of Marie’s favorite biographies, but we do have a list of books we’ve shared on MarieTV. Most of those aren’t biographies, but they’re definitely inspirational. If you’d like to check that out, you can reach our team at info AT marieforleo DOT com and we’ll be happy to send it along!

I just needed this today as I’ve been feeling emotional. I’ve been in love with this guy for around 16 years. The feelings are still there regardless and I still want to marry him. Its my dream, yet hes seen other people and currently is; its so challenging, yet I like what you’ve said today it gives me some inspiration. Thanks!

Again you nailed it. I love your show and I always come away feeling inspired. Thank you what you do and that is making the impossible…possible! I know it works but it took me a long time to see so I kept listening to all your shows as I waited for each episode to come in my email. I struggled with my biography that was published and now what? After lots of reinforcement (mainly you) I found a script writer who is turning it into a feature film. My unrealistic dream that took some of negative hits is now on the fast track to reality. My new motto is…Just do it!

Marie,
Perfect timing… I am at a point in my life where I am absolutely certain that I can no longer run the soul sucking corporate rat race!
As a child/ young adult I wanted to be an artist! Well adulthood can be stifling as far as dreams are concerned. Paying bills, and putting food on the table overshadows quickly.
Fast forward 15 years in the work force, and I’m miserable. There is no joy in the work that I do, and yet the fear of walking away from stability has me stuck.
It’s time, one way or another I will have a creative business! And I will finally be 100% confident in telling my children that they can be anything they want when they grow up! I want/need to be that example, and what better way than to make my dreams finally happen for myself.

Aaaahhh, I love this topic!!! I am always an unrealistic dreamer since I was a kid, and not so many people around me are supportive of this behaviour… but my late dad was and he has been my rock foundation to hold any dreams in my heart, however impossible they sound, and work on them!
I dreamt to go to France since I was 11. Living in a far away island country of Indonesia, and not from an affluent background, this seemed to be impossible. But I worked so hard to make it come true. Learned French on my own when I was 11, went to a French class at night when in college, joined competition and got to the final but did not win (the prize was a trip to France!)… fast forward my dream really seemed impossible at some point, nothing happened, but I secretly held my dream tight in my heart.
I was 29, when I decided to take an Italian course (I just loooove to learn languages). Then they had a competition one day and the prize was one month Italian course in Italy. I jumped in, studied until 3 am before the exam. A couple of weeks after the exam, I got a call from the Institute that I was the winner for the beginner level! I literally cried my eyes out of joy! I had the unforgettable trip to Italy, and….. stopped by in France at the end of my Italian course and met my 8-year-long French pen pal! My hard work since I was 11 seemed to pay off! By the end of college, I reached the advanced level in French. When I joined the Italian exam, I was just in Level 1 in Italian, and competed in Beginner class. There are a whole lot similarities in those 2 languages! I guess that was why I won! I held my dream for 18 years long but who cares…. I finally achieved it, not only going to France, but Italy and Holland. One of my colleagues asked me at that time, how I could get such a dream trip finally come true. Because I held my impossible dreams so tight in my heart and head was my answer.
I am so sorry to get carried away when talking about unrealistic dreams… just want to share with others, believe in your dreams even if it seems impossible! Thank you, Marie, for bringing this up!
Now at this point of my life, I have 2 main impossible dreams – to get my floral design business up and running profitably so I can fund my dream Master degree in International Education! I dare to say here, even if I am tempted to feel embarrassed saying this out loud, that I dream to get my Master degree with zero debt! I will close my ears from the ridiculing laughs out there, rewind and play your 5 steps in my head, and stick to them! I just hope this time around I will not need to wait for 18 years…
Thank you, again, Marie, for your encouragement!

Haters gonna hate. This is a topic that as a new entrepreneur (past 2 years), I’ve had to work on and deal with on a consistent basis. In fact, negative comments from others can bring one down so much (at times I used to lose 4-5 days just wallowing & over-analysing). It’s much better now, but thanks to some shortcuts that I follow now, I don’t allow these random comments to affect me anymore. Whew. At times, something can still hurt, but I think I’m much stronger today than I was 2 years ago! In fact, I just wrote an article on this very topic on my blog a couple of days back. Talk about timing! 🙂 Sending love to everyone here 🙂

These videos always come at the exact right time for me! I am working on my newly launched destination wedding business called Luxury Safari Weddings and in that early stage where everything is in place but you are just waiting for the big break! I love start ups, but sometimes it can get disheartening when you know you have the BEST product service etc. and cant understand why no one is biting!

Hello there my peeps! Totally loved this episode and appreciated the words of wisdim. Although I have taken massive action in the past year, it seems as though I have been discouraged away from achieving my unrealistic dreams. The closest person to me debbie downs my progress and dreams quite often.
I am indie published author whos unrealistic dream is to become a world renowned author, alchemist and teacher in the realm of self-help and self-mastery. I am in the works of creating opportunities for myself doing workshops, guest speaking and meditation retreats. Still, I get no love from my significant other. At times I start to doubt myself, but mostly remind myself that I am FIRE, burning with creation and spirited direction.

Thank you so much Marie for this video! It was exactly what I needed to hear! I have this dream, to share love… and make the world a better place 🙂 … as a blogger and speaker about love, sex and mindfulness! But whenever I tell my dream to others, they look at me like: “Whaaaat? … And how are you gonna earn money with that???” Well, I haven’t figured that out myself yet, but I know I have to follow my dream and believe in my vision.
There’s been so many times, that negative feedback like that has really torn me down and somehow started me doubting if I’m being realistic at all? And that I should maybe just get myself a decent job…
But maybe I don’t have to be realistic… At least I dream big!

My vision is to give thousands (if not millions!) of people the choice, clarity, joy and power to nourish a super-powered body and life. And to bring my “whole-life nourishment” approach to health authorities and healers and teachers, so they too become more effective at empowering kids and adults with this new way of thinking/teaching healthy living.
My big outrageous dream is a population that no longer thinks or talks about the mindless meaningless concept of “weight,” that is no longer confused or resistant about healthy choices—that knows how to fuel their cherished bodies and fullest lives, and actually DOES it. Unstoppably and joyfully. The result is that more and more people are nourished and freed to give their gifts to the world, without distraction or premature debility.
My dream is to play a role in this shift, to have this be my legacy but teaching, sharing, promoting and exemplifying it.
This includes ME having a thriving speaking, coaching, training and writing business, making a wonderful living as an authority doing this work and spreading these messages. With a robust income that allows me to nourish my own self and life, reinvest to grow this mission/business and be the philanthropist I dream of being in this arena.
As a well-known voice for this health perspective, I will have speaking spots in all the major health and aging summits and conferences; fun retreats in beautiful places that immerse people in this healing/transformation of healthy thinking/doing; a popular course and many private clients; and a Ted talk that changes minds and hearts (and bodies!) And a series of bestselling books that elucidate whole-life nourishment strategies for specific conditions and issues. I will have a passionate tribe that shares my vision and wants to participate and benefit from it. And I will collaborate on projects with my favorite, most respected people in wellness. I will also be an “older” fitness model and winning competitive athlete, inspiring and demonstrating what’s possible for strong, healthy, resilient and beautiful aging.

Marie,
I just loved this video. Thank you so much.
My unrealistic dream is to just leave everything and move abroad to canada or Australia.
Stopping me? Fear. Being alone to have these kind of dreams, not feeling supported!

Such synergy with what I am experiencing right now in B-School and STRB. Just last night I was journaling my daily reflections about what came up in the courses. One of those reflections was, “At least I’m getting it down in the physical world by daring to dream, conceptualise and write about it…if it doesn’t exist in the world of make-believe, then surely it can’t exist in this one.” Writing down your dream/vision feels like the second step (after imagining/creating it in your mind and heart) towards bringing it down from the world of concepts and dreams and into this one. Thank you Marie and Team Forleo for your continued excellence!

Thanks for this wonderful advice. As I have been hearing from everyone around me you will never be successful with online business, stop wasting your time and money. Watching this video have made me feel that I should stop feeling sacred and keep on trying.

I have a great unrealistic dream: meeting you Marie! Not just ‘somewhere in the future’, but when I’m in New York for training on the 18th or the 24th of April!

My partner and I started our business in Holland 3 years ago and B-school has been a huge help in building it up from scratch. This year, our goal is to hit the €200.000,- mark and in 2030 we’ll be millionaires!

We’d love to tell you how we Dutch people (your international audience) experienced the program, shower you with enthusiasm so you have a great day and buy you coffee. And a croissant, if that’s what you like.

PS: It’s just a matter of time until I name one of my babies after you, but my colleague says not to tell you that because she thinks it’s creepy.

In 2014 I took b-school and I realized that I wasn’t ready to start a business online because I couldn’t decide on what I wanted to do so I followed all my passions at first to see where they intersect. One of them was foraging. I tried starting a meetup and contacted a woman who came up on google when I put in my city and foraging and asked her if she’d like to meet to forage together. She asked me to lead a foraging tour with her blog followers. I was scared and out of my comfort zone but I had taken b-school and I thought this is an opportunity I have to do it. My tour was amazing! It went super well and it turned out I had a lot of knowledge to share so I continued to do so. In 2015 on one of my foraging tours I met a food and sustainability professor at Concordia University who took me to lunch and told me that he had a student who lived close to me who would be interested in my ideas around alternative food systems. I met her and now 2 years later we’ve become a non profit, got the largest grant the region gives for a community farm, are selling community supported agriculture baskets with land donated from the city and we are doing big things in terms of positive changes in the food systems (too long to list). I never even imagined the dream would take me here but I did many of the steps you speak of in the video and followed the path of least resistance and what has developed has wrapped up all my interests! It is way beyond even what I imagined. I thought that I could make this or that project work on my own but now that I am on the board and we have a team to achieve everything I was trying to do at a grass roots level and I am loving my life! We are about to launch a new website and membership campaign but I shared our old website for today since we are frantically working on it for the launch this Friday. Check us out again after the 17th of March if you’re interested in any way 🙂

I also forgot to add that I have been asked to publish the pamphlets I create for my tour so I can add published author to that list. When I took b-school I was interested in public speaking, writing, launching a business that had a social impact around food and local abundance, being a coach, design, and in the woo woo crew. I can seriously say I am speaking, writing, launched, and I’ve become a reiki practitioner in the past few years as well. I have learned so much about myself from actively focusing on figuring it out! I am more gentle and loving with myself and have shattered that scarcity mindset I had and am able to share that with others. Since then I’ve travelled for the first time in 18 years. Every year I’ve been somewhere and met with my family in Ireland, Spain and Tuscany. I have more room to grow and iterate but I am very grateful for b-school! It changed my attitude and then my life!

OH! How I relate to this vlog! I have huge dreams and like many others, I’ve fallen into the trap of asking the advice or opinions of people that I don’t necessarily respect or admire. I guess that’s a stumbling block many of us trip over. When I was about 19, I had someone tell me that I was delusional and I ended up spending way too many years putting myself through the ‘am I delusional’ test every time I wanted something wonderful – big love, big life, big dreams – I had myself convinced that I couldn’t achieve these things and in turn, talked to people that I KNEW would only add to my own self-doubt. It was a hard lesson to learn but a necessary one! Wonderful Vlog as usual!

thx for this great one, as i have a huge sales goal of a $1,000,000 sale fee for 2017 which i am more than capable of achieving. the process always starts and have the connections, yet just hasn’t seem to stuck yet. i am in real estate globally, so know anything is possible. along with the amazing sexy husband one day. to be honest not sure what keeps stopping me, yet has to be something in the brain set, as have written it out a million times. love your video’s and open to allowing and achieving ….. xx

As I was scrolling down to leave you the comment I realized there is a lot of people who think their dreams are unrealistic and it makes me remember about what Lisa Nichols always say that we should leap with fear in one hand and passion in the other. There will always be dreams that sound ambitious and people making us feel small and telling us we are not going to make it. Fear will always be there but what we have to remember is also there, is the passion that should be always guiding our lives.

hey ..
my name is eman i`m from Egypt ,i`m big fan of you , you give me the corage i want
and you answer my question in many times
actually i have unrealistic dreams but the people around me even my family give me that negative energy that you talk about it , you know Arab tradition about women that you should get marry in early age and women ……. and also the government places sometimes deals with women in a very bad way my dream is to be a strong person so i could change this things in my country and of course in Arab countries . i want to be a strange one and i could change my life

I just wanted to offer in a great movie I ‘randomly’ picked and watched on Netflix last night called “That’s What I Am.” Based on a writer’s true memoir of his 8th grade year, his classmates and outstanding teacher, it portrayed majorly inspirational models for us all and it was so inspiring and courageous on exactly this thread’s subject. It was excellent, so uplifting & wonderful, cheering us on through the worst. I’ve told friends and family about it too, but I believe those on this thread are who would get the most and appreciate it the most.

Thanks for the encouragement, Marie! I’m blown away that I already use all five steps in the life that’s before me, but my dream is to return to paid work that’s valuable to society. The life that keeps me from it is just a big, busy one. I’ve had the great fortune to be at home with my now 17-year-old twins throughout their lives while my husband works long hours. It is, in fact, a rich, varied, challenging, and wonderful life. It also involves doing all of the other household stuff, if you will, and the job is bigger than someone who has never done it can imagine. Bringing the role of full-time parents to light and creating a society that better supports balanced lives for families would be a great “unrealistic dream” for someone. To think that I used to think, “What do those Stay-at-Home Moms (or Dads) do all day?” As for my dream, which is actually a goal, I can see the brick pile and am walking that way now. In fact, the first one is right on top!
Onward and upward!
Peri

Most of my successes have come after someone said it’s impossible or unrealistic. For a time my internal response was, “Watch me!” Over the last decade though I lost that response due to letting in too many others’ external negatives, anger, and bitterness penetrate my soul. Fortunately having turned the “Double Nickle” a few weeks ago, listening to Louise Hay, and taking your Copy Cure course (I highly recommend it for all writers of any genre.), I rediscovered that ‘Watch me!” deep core belief. Just in the nick of time too, because once again I am in the middle of one of my biggest dreams – writing my third book. This is not like anything I’ve ever taken on, and the research will take funding that I don’t have readily available. The dream is a book titled, Generals and Grunts – How the United States Marine Corps Ethos Can Revive the American Spirit. I know currently the Marines are being hit with ethics and acts unbecoming of the Corps, but having already spent 12 days embedded with several combat units and having the backing of Secretary Jim Mattis, that is not a normal or everyday acceptable behavior by a super majority of those serving. Anyway back to being told, it can’t be done. To hell with them, as USMC General Chesty Puller said when surrounded by the enemy, “Good, the can’t miss them now!” Pull out all your guns when they say it can’t be done, because the Good Lord never gifts you with a dream you can’t get done. Love and Laughter to All.

Normally I’m all about biz, but right now my seemingly big scary goal is to lose 60 lbs. What’s stopped me before? Being inconsistent with my mindset work and being frustrated with myself since I’m a mindset coach.

I’ve taken a break from biz because I felt like I wasn’t seeing good results in my biz or my life, and I couldn’t lead others from that empty space. So I’m taking some time to manage MYSELF and accomplish a goal using my own mindset coaching + NLP training. I took my before pics last night and my success preparation feels real this time. Thank you Marie.

I’ve decided to embrace acting. I’ve always put it off because I’ve been the #1 doubter that the dream is “realistic.” As of TODAY I’m taking a new, scary class, and my husband and I are taking the plunge to move to the LA area in May.
You never know unless you try, right?

This is just what I needed to hear today! Thank you!! Can you please tell me the correct spelling of Brawny Wears, the woman who said, “I wish I had the courage to life a life true to myself, not the life other expected of me.” I’ve listened several times to Marie pronounce it, tried several spellings and googled searched to no avail. Thank you so much! xox

Hi Marie and Team,
You are all awesome!
I’ve been finding inspiration watching MarieTV and listening to motivating podcasts. I have a lot of friends and families who have been super supportive of my dream/goal to earn a PhD in the sciences. Unfortunately, I have received negative feedback from the people who actually decide if I’ve done enough work to earn the PhD. They all agree (4 of them) that it’s unrealistic for me to earn a PhD and more realistic for me to leave with a masters in science (which is still great but I’ve worked so hard and so many years to earn a PhD). I’ve been pushing through and I haven’t given up yet, however, I am concerned that convincing myself is not enough. How can I convince myself so much that they start believing in me again?

Martha, thank you so much for watching, and I’m sorry to hear you’re hearing negative feedback from those involved in your PhD process. I hope that this episode provided a few helpful tips to get you started. We also did a similar episode a while back about naysayers and how you can use that as fuel for success, so definitely check that one out too: https://www.marieforleo.com/2014/10/naysayers/

I’m not sure what kind of a relationship you have with these people, but if they’re involved in your PhD process, one suggestion popped to mind (if it’s possible) is sitting down with some or all of them, perhaps on an individual basis, and very clearly communicating that you are completely dedicated to achieving your PhD and are ready to do whatever it takes. Then see if they have any specific feedback or actionable steps you can take. This may help get them on your side and see themselves as supporters of your goals, and it also gives you the opportunity to commit – both to yourself and to them.

That may not be possible or a good fit for you, but I hope it helps spark some ideas!

This is my favorite episode so far! I am experiencing unrealistic goals right now. I’m in my 40’s and working a full time job to pay the bills and a part time dream job while I work on paying off huge student loans. My goal is to own 50+ acres before I’m 50 (which isn’t that far off), build a house and my clinic/spiritual retreat center on the property and run the center full time.

My biggest naysayer is myself. I fight the voice that says I’m too old, I’m too in debt, I will never have the money.

I am going to start framing my dream. This episode is my third reminder today to do this. I’m going to write it out and then create a vision board.

Thank you once again for the timely reminder Marie. You and your team ROCK!

Over the last year I have taken steps to bring my dreams into reality, building my online business, develop into a public speaker and conquer my fear of video. I launched my blog for beauty and wellness for women over 50 in June 2016. I’m finding my way, revamping , designing my brand and having a ball! I’m expanding my vision bigger and bigger, I don’t care if people think it unrealistic, I got this far and I’m getting out of my comfort zone daily to achieve my dreams. Thank you for your support, guidance and inspiration!!! I always need to hear things like this….. feeding my brain daily and realizing I’m not so crazy!!!!

Thank you for confirming my sudden call to write things down on paper more. There’s nothing like putting pen to paper, and I’m a huge list maker, but writing via keyboard so much on the blog drew me away from it. The 42% figure struck a chord! This inspired me to learn about bullet journaling, and get more intentional about growing my creative work. 🙂

Thanks Marie! My unrealistic dream (that I’m very careful about who I talk to about it) is to run a highly profitable online business with a flagship eCourse that is highly transformative to my clients and makes over $500,000 in yearly revenue, leaving me time, location and money independent. I am holding onto this vision. I have seen SO many people create such an outcome in their lives, it is totally possible for me too! xx

Hi, Marie
I am Sachin and it’s been a while I am joined with this amazing programme Marie tv. My question is that, in your workshop you told to look out for your excuses and there is one fear I could not get out of it, that is if I have started doing my dream work and what if I regret about it later for any reason. Is there any way of getting out of this, please share.
Thank you
SACHIN
Great Out of Everything

Sachin, that’s a great question and I know you’re so not alone there – I think a lot of people worry the same thing about pursuing dreams or trying something new. While it is of course smart to weigh your options and make sure you’re making a wise choice, very few people ever regret going for something that means a lot to them. Marie and Seth Godin talk about that a bit in this episode here: https://www.marieforleo.com/2016/10/seth-godin/

The beauty of life though is that we can always change things. If you pursue a dream or goal and ultimately find it isn’t serving you, you can absolutely change course and do something else later on.

As a creative I find people have always tried to edit me, distract me with shiny things, or boast about how much money THEY have as a result of their actions, so being an artist becomes very pathetic and fast around those people, unless of course ‘you’ve made it’. This (and more) has made me feel as if my dreams can not be spoken of anymore, and slowly they diminish into not even existing in my own mind as prominently as they always did. It is hard when you realise you’ve listened to all the wrong people and you’ve hidden you’re own special truth. I had so much good will and people working with me – but feel like I didn’t realise how lucky I was. Now, I am starting again, with stumbling motivation, many less ‘dream vampires’ around me and I know that it is the only therapy for me – to just do it. It is also amazing how dramatic it can feel internally if you don’t follow your heart. Thank you so much for the motivational boosts every Tuesday. I can feel myself getting dusted off more and more – back to the original shine. With an upgrade of wisdom 😉

Great tips Marie! Exactly what I am trying to highlight in this self funded documentary idea I am trying to get commissioned. The premise is simple enough ‘to make my childhood dream come true and become a Stormtrooper in the next Star Wars movie’ All about dreaming big! I hope one day my project will help inspire others to follow their dreams. Thanks for your positivity. Best Wishes. Michael

Loved this…
But I did go for it – threw all my money time and energy at building a niche travel blogging business focused on the 40+ market. My desire: to inform, educate and inspire the reader whilst working with the companies and businesses to bring bespoke travel journies to life.
I felt myself grow internally exponentially but externally, when I had finally reached a point doing this when I knew how I wanted to portray the brand, image and focus of my business, I ran out of money and life has come to a full stop with me not being able to find a way forward so I can continue doing it. This is tough – on our levels as I am now an independent person who wants to make their own way, without the financial means to do so. My former career was as a Humanistic Practitioner but I have changed so much I don’t know how I’m going to move forward. I’m not stuck, keep pushing but the steps are so small not even a tortoise could recognise I’m moving!
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated..

Thank you so much for sharing your story––I’m really sorry to hear you’re in a tough spot. If it helps, Marie had to work side jobs that paid the bills for 7 years while building her business to being full time. Not having to worry about the bills being paid freed up a lot of creative energy that she could pour into her business and focus on it. She talks more about this in two MarieTV episodes: https://www.marieforleo.com/2016/11/day-job-and-follow-dreams/ and https://www.marieforleo.com/2013/10/bridge-job/ We’ve got our fingers crossed things will get better soon!

Hi Marie
Let me start by complimenting you on your presentation at the start of every clip.
I think that is fantastic, and brings a beautiful feeling of joy to the program.
Now regarding going forward by doing or develop things about your dreams or ideas, can be personal development or business. There are three major rules that you must always bere in mind to apply or do if you want to succeed . And that is:
1) NEVER EVER tell anyone about, can be family, friends or colleagues, only discuss with those that you are going to be involved or develop your dream or idea. Sometimes even those if there are the type of individual that are a narrow minded, old fashion or afraid to go forward in life to see the benefits of your dream or idea, can become a temporary a set back, till you find another that is more open minded and not afraid to try and see the outcome as you do. Never give up if not satisfied try another and another till you find the right one.
Then, when you are satisfied with the progress for some time, and confident that is running well to your liking, that is the time to tell the world openly. Invariably even then, you may come across a few negative comments from sources that you never expected doe to jealousy that you made it and they din’t. that is why is recomended to mention only after you are settled and satisfied about your intended adventure.
2) Extremely important. DO IT BEFORE YOU ARE READY. because that will stop procrastination and a chance to have negative influences in current events in life, by dragging you down to a point of doing nothing.
3) The minute that you open your mind to the world with your ideas or dreams before you have started, and take notice of negative comments, you will give up and get nowhere, that is the time that you become a luser for the rest of your life, till the point that you will come to your senses and follow specially the first two rules.
Good luck

First I want people to attend me public speaking, I did not have except on shout out, with no physical presence.
second I want my online course to function.
Third I want to sell my goods.
So the outcome I want a studio and a shop.
I think that could be reachable if worked out.

Every time I start to second guess myself Marie TV pops up in my email and reminds me to just go for it. I’ve written a children’s picture book and am at a stand still because I’m not sure what steps to take next. My daughter (age 11) is a fantastic artist and would love to illustrate it, so we are about to work on illustration ideas :). Anyway thank you Marie for your constant positive energy 💗

Yes, I tend to dream big in life. My passion as a creative artist is writing.
I write Riveting Screenplays.
I write Inspirational Blogs.
I write Captivating Books.
I write Love Letters.
I write Needed Encouragement.
I write Imperative Teacher’s Notes.
I write Fun and Sometimes Required Emails.
I write Color-Coded Posts-its and Long To-Do Lists.
I write Melodic Birthday Cards.
I write Published Poems.
I write Esoteric Findings.
BUT MOST OF ALL…
I write to learn, grow, and discover… Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose?
The big dream is the screenplays and turning them into feature films or a TV series. I’m not giving up hope. I’m turning that unrealistic dream into a realistic possibility! Thank you Marie for a push in the realistic direction. Keep dreaming!

Whenever I need a dose of inspiration and positive, sound advice I turn to you Marie. You always come through for me and help me put things back into perspective when those annoying little negative voices won’t shut up.
Thank you!

1. End all disease, sickness, illness etc by the year 2100. All types of cancer, STDs, AIDS, etc etc.
2. Increase the standards of the current tertiary (and pre-tertiary) education system, in STEM, the social sciences, and humanities. I’m talking about the average university level undergraduates studying, say, statistics, and being able to understand and explain to a Richard Feynman-level of clarity.
3. Become a billionaire, but structure my assests in such a way that I don’t actually own it yet can spend as much as I want, so that I have all the benefits and none of the potential drawbacks that come with being super wealthy.
3. Achieve a black belt or equivalent in tai chi and aikido, and maybe one “hard” form of martial art.
4. Master Mandarin (currently intermediate-advanced fluency) to the level of a literati. Like those guys who quote the classics and stuff. Gain at least intermediate proficiency in Japanese, and conversational proficiency in Korean, Arabic, French, Spanish, Russian, and German.
5. Move to America. Yay!!!!!
6. Drive a tank and crush a car, like in one episode in the Mr Bean TV Series.
7. Beat an elite African runner in a marathon. Run an ultramarathon.
8. Travel to space.
9. Learn to cook various cuisines as well as a skilled chef.
10. More to come…

I wanted to be a professional blogger but I lacked the hardware that most people use to blog. That means laptop or computer. Moreover, cyber Cafe is all the way over one and half hours drive by public means in Nairobi .
So what did I do?
I started blogging from my Android phone.
There is no Internet connection in the house so whenever I am blogging, I go sit outside by the roadside. I call the place ‘my outside office.’
I made a trial blog and from it I have learnt a lot. For example, if I don’t use graphics, then blogging from phone is very possible.
After all readers just want relevant information and they are not concerned about your output machines.

So now am drafting a proper blog because l know my limitations.
The only difference between me and people with necessary hardware and software is speed of execution.
And believe me, l will get there. After all light gets in through the cracks.

So what objections have I encountered? Non from my family or friends because I haven’t told them anything.
Why? Because they can afford to assist me with such hardwares but….. Well you know………

Since I so much wanted to get out of poverty, l decided to go to the Internet because it has a worldwide reach.
That means the obstacles I fight in my culture as a woman are not there on the Internet.
Am talking about ethics like discrimination in employment, religion and gender.
All which has made flop.
So I felt the internet community will be the viable working place for me.

To all of you MF community who offer free actionable business advice, thank you very much and keep it up.

Planting is not uprooting.
You are planting and you will definitely harvest.

Thank you so much for sharing your powerful story with us, Wambui! You’re so strong, dedicated, and hard working. I’m so glad you found a way to blog from your phone and that you’re sharing your wisdom with the world. We’re super proud of you! 🙂

I am an undergraduate student now, and major in statistic. I told my parent that I want to be an actuary in the future, though I still need to take lots of effort to achieve it. However, my parents often suggest me to take other jobs instead of actuary because they think it is hard for people to pass all the examinations, but I can have another job as soon as I graduate from university. Eventually, I tell them that if people always think that they cannot achieve a goal, they will never fulfill their dreams. And I am convince that if I believe that I can do this, then I will keep moving on and becoming an actuary.

My 16 year old daughter wants to make a living as a film/tv actress. (When you say that out loud to almost anyone we usually hear lots of negative responses!) She takes classes, is very good and gets great feedback from her acting teachers. However as you probably know it’s a difficult business with a lot of rejection. It’s hard, as her mom, to encourage her but to also be realistic about her future. Any advice would be greatly appreciated 🙂

This is a really good question, Jackie! And I bet it’s something a lot of parents and others who want to be supportive of their loved ones’ dreams are struggling with. If you’ll write to us at infoATmarieforleoDOTcom we’ll be happy to help you submit this question for consideration for a future Q&A Tuesday.

Thank you. I am in the process of self-publishing my first novel, Space Spiders on Prom Day. What a freaking ride it has been. I using Scrievener (writing soft) which is GREAT and what a learning curve. Your videos, honesty, caring, and fun is very valuable to me. I find it very important to surround myself with positive people, keep holding the vision (daily), and taking action steps. All the best to you and everyone in your “Can Do” movement.

This is an awesome video! My unrealistic dream is to be a successful Jewelry Designer. I started this dream about 20 years ago, selling in Craft Shows every weekend for 2 summers. Then, Life took me on a different path, and while I have fiddled with it off and on over the years, I finally decided to get serious with my Craft this year. I will be selling in a local Farmers Market every Saturday this summer, and I can’t wait! I changed my Business name, and have a FB page, Instagram, and am working on a website. I’m getting positive reviews! I create every night, and this video was such an inspiration! Thank you so much!

I’ve spent a lifetime proving that I can do what everyone has said is not possible. Now I’m taking the next big step. I’m creating my art biz and getting out there as I build my Wild Soul Creativity Circle and my inspirational feminine intuitive, spiritual approach to mixed media art. This us doing it my way and not listening to others but leaping and doing.

Absolutely loved this one!
I’m just at the beginning of my nutritional business and my first public talk is coming up. Even though talking publicly has never been exactly my dream, I do believe it’s a necessary step to bring my dream of influencing peoples lives to reality. And because I’m getting nervous about the even a bit, well a lot, I started doing some focus mediation when I visualise how easily the talk goes, how I’m having fun and how successful it’s gonna be.
So perhaps I’d like to only add to the first step that as well as writing the dream down it could be worth to visualise it in the best and brightest colours possible for as long as possible.
Thank you so much for all your ideas and love sending to all of use with every piece of content you create!
XX
Lenka

Dear Marie,
this is the most inspiring episode I was ever seen on your channel. People tell me over and over again that my dreams are to big, unrealistic and that I´m not good enough to achieve my goals. Sometimes it´s easy to ignore this voices and sometimes it´s very hard for me. Anyways, I was sign in for B-school this year and it ´s helping me soooo much to take action!! I just want to say: THANK YOU! This episode is the best ‘happy pill’ when people are trying to make me small!
Best wishes,
Sofia Carlotta from Germany

I’ve been working as a pastry cook for the past 8 years. Whenever I was presented with an advancement in employment opportunity such as being an assitant pastry chef or even the head pastry chef, I always felt I lacked certain skill sets such as working with chocolate. Needlesss to say, I didn’t feel I was qualified for either positions.
However, in the past several months, I have been applying to these same positions. I came close to getting a pastry chef position but it fell through. I recently applied to another open opportunity which comes with many challenges. However, I am pushing my fears aside and seeing where this goes. I feel I am more confident because I have witnessed others with the qualifications I lack doing a mediocre job. When I look at them, I can’t help but say to myself, I can do it!
Thank you Marie for this video! It couldn’t have come at a better time.

Wow, did I need this message now. I am in the process of launching a website tool whose goal is to make sustainable design the mainstream…to move the building industry toward net zero impact. It is a big hairy audacious goal and I have been told many times it is “unrealistic”. Though now I hear this less and less as our company was able to leverage grants and investment to create the web-based solution…and we launch this week!! Please send me some of your incredibly infectious positive vibes as we work to build a strong, mission based and impactful enterprise!

Thanks for great episode Marie! It comes right on time. As always :)? So, my “unrealistic” dream has a reason – to build a house. And as an entrepreneur, it is kind of difficult to apply for a mortgage (at least where I live), so I was thinking about paying for it with cash. And to do that I decided to write an ebook, price it $22 and find at least 10.000 people whom it could help. And I have a deadline – a year. What is holding me back? Basically nothing, but sometimes doubting thoughts prevail. I just started with my blog (web site in progress, haha)? How can I sell it with that price? Do I really have something special people are willing to pay for? Can I get the message right and clear enough so people will understand and benefit from it? What if it’s completely bad idea to write about? English is not even my native language! I know I’m crazy, but I’ve never been “normal” and I know if I can think it and feel it, it is going to happen! Fingers crossed 🙂

Marie – thanks for this video, you and the community are just such a great inspiration and motivational kick 🙂

I’m a graphic designer running my own design studio for 2 months now – I quit my 9-5 job and so many people kept telling me that it’s a mistake. I was pushing myself towards the vision and focusing on percieving this transition as an opportunity rather than a mistake. And so I’m here, working freelance (currently spending a week in beautiful Amsterdam), being office-independent, choosing my own clients. Of course it’s not super easy, but totally worth it.

My dream (and a plan 😉 ) is to run a design studio 100% office-less, so to cooperate with other freelance designers totally remotely. To begin with I want to master this model on myself, switching places and working (gosh, constantly looking for wifi!). Guys – wish me persistance (and luck!).

Marie you totally nailed it, again! “Realistic dreams” are boring. And you are so right about considering the source of the comment and focusing on people who did make their dreams come true, not the scared bunch with the (jealous?) comments.
I am just now reading “The Big Leap” by Gay Hendricks which you recommended (thanks!) which helps with attaining super mega big time dreams.
PS Love seeing you in jeans 🙂

Thanks, Marie!! The unrealistic goal I’m after right now is creating an online course that will help nonprofits prepare and follow through on major rebranding and web redesign projects. I help nonprofit orgs do this through one-on-one consulting right now, but that limits the number of projects I can engage in each year to around 2-4 projects, depending on the scope and length of commitment. I want to help more of these beautiful, heart-full, mission-driven companies change the world!! A course to help them get there has been in the back of my mind for years, but I’m afraid their limited resources (staff, budget, time) will stop them from trying a more DIY method, even though it will benefit them in more ways than one! In B-School and doing my best to shape this offering and speak to real potential customers so it goes from “unrealistic” and “unstarted” to a thriving operation that helps many orgs! Sending hugs and thanks to you and your team for your guidance, positivity and smarts. 🙂

That’s really inspiring and true, I am somehow very naively optimistic about everything but I’m trying to learn how to balance between having realistic and unrealistic (but reasonable) goals, especially with a girlfriend who has doubts over anything possible. Anyway the first advice is really true! Recently I did something similar, I was asked by my university to do a reflection on our work experience and future plans and now my dreams and goals are much more vivid than ever after picturing them!

Hi Marie. I love your stuff! You have so much good information to give. This “live your dream” theme that you have throughout your Marie TV is very inspiring & I love it. My problem is that I can’t find my dream! I know I want things to be better, I know I have a special gift somewhere that needs to be shared with the world but I don’t know how to find it. I’ve spent my life doing things that I think other people want me to do & in the process have lost what I want to do for myself. How do I find that special gift?

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! As the universe would have it, this episode came at the exact time I needed it. I recently decided to dive into creating a pet care services company. I have 16+ years of experience in marketing/brand building plus I LOVE animals so I decided to create and build a brand of my own rooted in compassion, love, and most importantly – community. However, I have a “friend” who has already started criticizing everything from my price points to the clients I’m looking to work with – saying “no one will pay you that much” and “those clients won’t work with you” and “”. Regardless of her negativity, I continue to move forward because I know in my heart and soul that this will work, it will work for me, it will work for my clients, it will work for my community because everything I’m doing is coming from a place of peace and compassion. I’m building a company/brand that’s rooted in my “why”. 🙂 How am I able to deflect her negativity (some may ask)? Well, there are many reasons but the one MAIN reason why I continue to keep moving forward with my unrealistic dream is because you’ve become the voice in my head Marie – the one that keeps reminding me that no one, absolutely no one can tell me how to run my business, my life, my dreams. For that, and for the lessons in this episode, THANK YOU x infinity!

I will stay on my game and keep going for my dreams.
with your five F’s unrealistic dreams achievement.
-Frame my dreams.
-Filter opinions and fend off negativity.
-Flood yourself with positive examples.
-Fast forward.
-Focus on action.
And as Mantra said “everything is figureoutable”.
Thank you so much Marie.

I’m working towards earning 5 figures a month. My father said “I hope you’re not aiming too high”. After a year of limiting belief training my response was “Actually dad, I think it’s too low!” =) After that he asked if I would have room for him to move in and take care of him LOL!

The limiting beliefs and fear of rejection is what has held me back thus far. I know I have a ton of value to offer my audience, I just need to step on the other side with new found confidence and make it happen!

Much love to you Bre for asking this question! It’s a daily work in process for those of us that face these issues so you are not alone 🙂

Focusing on unrealistic dreams and aspirations is definitely the way to go but can be difficult especially for graduating college students as we have to be practical yet thinking ahead for the next 30 years. I know I struggle with the action part which hinders me from believing in the lofty dreams. The one area that I do focus on is staying positive and optimistic for whatever is ahead be it personal difficulties or career decisions. Marie has put together a treasure trove of incredibly valuable content for anyone who needs some motivation or insight!
Best wishes for everyone!

Well, I have a dream of getting a relationship with a celebrity from another country Haha. I refuse to call it unrealistic and I’m building my online business so that I can be location independent and have the money to travel to pursue it 🙂

I’m a part time copywriter who has a big dream of becoming a life coach! The unrealistic part? I want to talk openly about my experiences living with Dissociative Identity Disorder. The handful of people I’ve told have said “yeah, you’d be a good life coach, but better keep quiet about that – people associate that with Jekyll and Hyde, Psycho, or Split (thanks M Night Shyamalan!)”

I think living with this condition has given me a BIG insight into self acceptance and believing in myself no matter what and I’d love to use that to help other people who are struggling to love and accept themselves, difficult bits and all. But it’s hard to have faith in a dream that other people think is crazy.

Thanks so much for this, especially the part in #2 about VETTING the people you share with. So obvious in retrospect, but not an easy lesson to learn. My dad loves to squash my dreams, and it only took me 27 years to realize that I probably shouldn’t be listening to him since his life looks nothing like what I want mine to look like. If I were to listen to him, that’d be a pretty sure path to exactly what I don’t want! It’s super helpful to hear you embellish upon that idea.

Absolutely, Ella. That can be so tricky, and under those circumstances, it can become difficult to distinguish between your own thinking and someone else’s thinking governing your thoughts and dreams. It sounds like you’ve got everything in a good place now, and you now how to listen to your own voice despite the noise.

About two years ago I was introduced to the personal development world and have loved everything about it ever since. I have been involved in mastermind groups, seminars, and personal mentoring programs that have helped me to really have a direction in my life. I decided a couple of months ago that I wanted to start to share the things that I have been learning to hopefully help someone else to experience the change that they want in their life. The way that I have decided that I want to start doing that is by creating a podcast and a couple of weeks ago I, along with a friend, launched a podcast to share our experiences. We have a goal to have 10,000 downloads this year.

Hi Marie…This is Navodita from India .I am very inspired by your ideas and really need your good advice regarding one thing…..that how do I do real estate business?? Which is kind of an unrealistic dream …..!!! From where should I start? What news resources I should follow? From where to seek help….?
I really hope you will take notice of my questions and tell me the right solutions.

Great question, Navodita! Although not specifically about real estate, Marie does have a playlist of MarieTV episodes about building a meaningful business that I hope you’ll find helpful: https://www.marieforleo.com/category/build-a-meaningful-business/ Because real estate laws and regulations can vary from place to place, it may help to reach out to real estate agents in your local area so they can better direct you with their expertise. We’ll be wishing you much success as you’re following your dreams!

Dear Marie and the team, thank you so much for your inspiration and wisdom, that I can find in my e-mail box.
This video is close to me and very needed now. My dream seems to be really big and “unrealistic.” It is about making a big clean up activity in a country with enormous population. One of the challenges is that I’m a foreigner and I don’t speak local language. Now I should get a lot of practice if my communicative skills. But one thing is more challenging for me than others. It’s difficult for me to ask for help and spread the tasks. Eventhough I understand it’s not about a personal request. But I know, that’s not paid and I ask to spend the time that others might like to spend with their families . How to involve people to join the project and build the good team especially at the beginning and when it’s not paid work?

That’s a really good question, Stasia, and also a challenging one. It may help to reach out to students who may be looking to gain experience in this area or people who need to log community service hours for various reasons. It may also help to reach out to nonprofit organizations doing similar work to see how they navigated this challenge. Marie may have some valuable insight, ideas, and tips for this too, so if you want to write to us at infoATmarieforleoDOTcom, we’ll be happy to help you submit this question for consideration for a future Q&A Tuesday!

Thank you, Marie (and team) on creating this bite-size, shot-size inspiration video. My big, totally unrealistic dream is happening right now. I’m leading a team of Ugandan creatives (writers, photographer and designers) to produce the first beautiful, funniest and informative coffee table book 100% by Ugandans about our capital city, Kampala, sold across the world. AHHH. It never gets old typing it. Ever. Fear is a constant, along with where will we get the printing money, but I’m confident and charging through day by day. Thank you again!

I want to transition from doing PR to traveling and speaking to inspire others to excavate, craft and share their stories. Everyone has a story someone in the world needs to hear. However, the most important story is the one you believe.

I love this post, Marie, I used to try and get approval from the wrong people, people who didn’t understand my business, people who were never going to be my clients and people who were not achieving the things I wanted.
Writing our goals down is massively powerful, it’s something I always encourage my blog readers and clients to do. So many people feel like it’s wasted time. It’s not, it’s focused and powerful.
I was once told by a fellow coach(at the start of my own coaching career) that if I wanted to be successful, I had to sacrifice spending time with my son. I was working when he was at school and after he’d gone to bed. She said this wasn’t enough. My unrealistic dream was to build a successful business and prioritise my son and extended family. 8 years on, I’m so pleased I followed my own dream rather than taking this probably well-meaning advice.

My ‘unrealistic dream’ was becoming a professional mermaid.
I currently own the first Professional Mermaid School in Europe.
Still have many more dreams, but push myself towards achieving them. No matter what other say. 🙂

Oh Marie!! This is so my favourite episode EVER! Hands down, you’ve always known just what to say at the right time but this one takes the cake!

After being kept awake by a huge dream, at 4am I just had to get up and write it down. My first Google search to see what was out there around my idea led me straight to YouTube and so to this episode. Wowee.

I can’t wait to see how this idea unfolds and I just know your advice will help me as I nurture this one forward. Thank you SO much. Much love for your amazing work. Tania X

I’m dreaming of having my OWN ISLAND one day, Richard Branson style. It would be a beautiful, tranquil place for my family and all my friends (+folks listening to Marie Forleo ;)) to rejuvenate their body, mind & spirit. Do you think it’s too unrealistic?

LOVE this SO much… True story: When I started with my business in 2011 and took B-School in the 2nd year of being in biz… my dream of being a well-known and much-loved conversion copywriter was considered unrealistic {ahem!}, because hey… non-native English speaker here who till now has never set foot in the US of A. 😉
Today, I write copy for industry leaders and entrepreneurs worldwide and am proud to call folks like Carrie Wilkerson, Bushra Azhar, Nagina Sethi and so many others my friends and clients.
Like you say… everything is figureoutable 😉

I watched the video and loved every bit of it. I don’t know how I came across your channel, maybe my guides wanted me to listen to you and this video was so apt for my “unrealistic dream”. I was so fearful of doing what I believe in but have the courage now :).. I wanted to be an energy healer and have been taking small steps towards building that change of lifestyle and choice which I know would give me contentment and joy. Thanks for publishing such content for people like us. You are great 🙂

I needed this boost today! My unrealistic dream is to become a successful, well-known (at least within my community,) award-winning face and body painter, artist, and create/write my own book(s.) So far, I’ve been building my face and body painting business, Faces by Chelsea Keesler (@facesbychelseak,) I’ve been selling small commissions, I was just hired to paint a local Little Free Library, I’ve spoken to a local organization about painting a piece of public art, and I’m currently creating my own mini coloring book. Everything really is figureoutable. It may take time and effort, but if you learn from those failures and roadblocks you experience, it can be done. Personally, my biggest hurdle is usually my health. I have multiple health issues, and I’m constantly working on being well, which can take pretty much everything I have to give. So, I’m also constantly working on balance. Sometimes I do better than others, but lately I’ve seen more success, and feel like I’m getting it down.

Woohoo! That’s awesome, Dalia! We’d love to see you in the next round of B-School. If you haven’t already, we recommend signing up for the program newsletter at marieforleobschool.com, that way we can notify you when enrollment is set to open again. 🙂

This was exactly what I needed in perfect timing. I’ve been mauling over whether or not to leave my full-time job to pursue my passion of Health Coaching. It is what fills me fills me up, geeks me out and sets my soul on fire! Between my own fear, limitations and family doubting I’ve been playing it small. This was the message I needed to hear! Thanks!!! As always you are so amazing and inspiring to watch!

My crazy dream? To have at least 10,000 people sign up and take my online course Dying2Live: Reclaim Your True Self. I’m already 1% of the way there. Why is this so important to me Marie? You mentioned it. So that people don’t get to the end of their lives asking why they didn’t live true to themselves. That’s the biggest killer, not death.

Great message Marie! I personally love #3 “Flood Yourself with Positive Examples”. As an independent retailer I follow the success stories of others and there is so much great information and inspiration out there. I love hearing about other successful entrepreneurs. Thanks so much for sharing this great advice.

Hi to Marie & the team from the UK, I just came across your brilliant and inspiring YouTube channel today, whilst looking for something to help boost my confidence & to get me thinking about what I want from life as I’ve been feeling like I’ve lost my identity. I’m 51 & have been a full time carer to my father aged 87 whose registered blind for the past 7yrs, pretty much alone plus I’ve always put my family first and Grandchildren.
I’ve given plenty of things a go but the one big unrealistic dream I have is to set up a large multi million charity which helps causes not just in the Uk but worldwide and not only to help just one particular cause but to be able to help thousands and to be able to donate money to anywhere that has a disaster happen eg: earthquakes. Doing this would also allow me to travel too so I can see first hand where the money would go. Trouble is my doubts creep in saying I’m now too old, multi million companies are only for the rich or famous and I’ve hardly organised anything apart from kids parties so I’d fail but I would still love to prove myself wrong.

Thank you so much for sharing your dream with us, Faye! We believe you’re never too old to do what you love (Marie has a whole episode about this: https://www.marieforleo.com/2011/09/are-you-too-old/). All charities, even the multi-million dollar ones, have to start out somewhere, but they would have never been able to grow if someone hadn’t had the courage to start them. Marie is a big fan of starting small (she talks more about starting small in this episode: https://www.marieforleo.com/2014/07/start-small-or-sucky/) and building as you grow. It’s clear you have a big heart and want to make a difference, so we’ll be wishing you success! 🙂

I believe the dreams I have come to live I have a vision board on my wall.
I had this dream I was walk on a sandy beach with a Jamaica man the feeling I got never felt for anyone I put this on my vision board draw lyrics of a song walk on a sandy beach and post it on Facebook 2010 at the time I meett him 2013 December end of the month I video chat with the boy my dreams for the first time I could believe my eyes this video expired me and I wanted to share my experience with you it was a long we were in a relationship and it was long distance for three years he cheated when we were in a long-distance he said to me when he came here to America he has been with anyone when we got married he said to me he promised to commit to me only me we have a son he got 2 back we’re he’s from back home when he been keep this from me as a Secret we been married for a year my husband has just graduated from boot camp he’s in the navy my question for you is can I forgive him and build that trust again I so love him what us to work out he also what’s us be a family forgive let past go I just don’t know if I can alone with the hurt my husband not here with me tell it’s okay Comfort me do you think I can forgive him and trust him again I truly love him what us to work out what’s your input on this

Serenity, I’m so sorry to hear that your trust with your husband was broken. Firstly it’s important to remember that forgiving and rebuilding trust can take time, and that’s absolutely okay. If you’re having a difficult time reconnecting, it can be incredibly helpful to seek advice from a professional relationship counselor, so that might be something to consider if you haven’t already.

It is totally amazing and i feel so wonderful after watching this. I myself am in a transition phase, trying to establish myself and living my dream. It’s just wonderful to feel motivated and it’s even made me much more positive about it.
Thank you so much.

Hi thanks so much for this video. I have developed an online app to help freelancers get organised, save time and grow their businesses and although I have some users the weight of the project is a bit much every now and then. So watching your video was a good pop-talk! Thanks again!

Marie, THANK YOU so much for this! This episode couldn’t come at the better time! My dream is to help women to create the life the love and live their life on their own terms. I have started my own business and trying to get it off the ground, it takes time and I can see how self- doubt and some negative thoughts are creeping in! Thank you for this inspiration and tips not to give up on my dream! I am not going to give up!
Love, Justyna x

This video was just what I needed right now! Thank you!! I am 37 year old woman living in Finland and I have a dream: I want to work with elephants (or to do some kind of work helping and protecting them!) . At the moment I am a practical nurse but that work hasn’t felt like my dream job in a long time.. Last year I travelled to India to do volunteer work with rescued elephants and I could almost hear my heart singing of joy! I had found “my calling”, my passion. We don’t have any elephants here in Finland so I probably have to move somewhere else, but that is fine for me… more than fine actually! Now I have been contacting a lot of people all over the world and asking for advice.. I am sure I will find my place and my dream job and dream life soon!! I won’t give up! 🙂

That’s wonderful, Sanna! While I can’t speak for zoos in other countries, in the US zoos tend to have a lot of volunteers working with animals––whether they’re veterinary students, kids volunteering in the summer between school sessions, or people who just love animals. And often when a job opportunity arises, the volunteers are much more likely to be chosen because the zoo already knows what it’s like to work with them. We’re so happy for you that you’ve discovered your passion and are going for your dreams! 🙂

I have a big dream and goal, it’s been with me about 15 years, but I never forget it and I always try to learn many thing I can, I have many coach like poor dad rich dad, JT Foxx, Mr Chen Steven, Tony Robin ,,,,,,,and I spend too much money for all kind program to take action to achieve it, but it’s not working,maybe my English, because I am a Chinese, I don’t understand why? But I never give up, what shall I do? I get up everyday morning 2Am to studying and working out and keep health ,,,,,, when it’s time for my big dream come true,

I’m writer.
My day job is in customer service. Bleh. It pays the bills. But at heart I’m a writer of scripts and songs. It is my passion and I can’t get enough of writing stories filled with these complex characters. Writing allows me the freedom to go to these far off places that only my imagination can take me. Obviously, I would like to receive financial rewards for my writing. The constant rejection has the ability to knock me back into reality which is mostly made up of cynicism. But writing is the place where I feel the most me (even though I predominantly write fiction). But I’ve decided that I do not want to be a cynical old man about all the rejection and throw away all my years of writing. I believe that some day this writing habit will lead to something. And yet the uncertainty of when this day may actually come causes me great anxiety. Say it never happens? I am met with this question every so often. I don’t know. But that can’t be how the universe is going to be for me or the other dreamers/doers of the world. Our actions, my writing will yield some form of happening. I believe! I believe!

hello! i’m jenna & i’m 17 this year 🙂 i have a big big dream for singing. i know what you’re going to say, the music industry is terribly hard to get into! especially being an asian girl after all. when i was 11, i posted a cover online and can i be honest? i sounded horrible. so horrible. i was criticised and made fun of. ever since then, i never posted a cover for 6-7 years. i swore to myself to practice till im better. recently, i have come out of my shell & i posted it on my fan account and i got so many positive response. its so amazing & nice. i decided to come out to my mum about this dream of mine and she said it was unrealistic and i needed to have a very good luck to be able to make it. i was so devastated. she told me i had to get a degree and work in an office to get my earnings. i was so depressed over the thought of that. and i came across a steve harvey video where he said, don’t let anyone take your dreams away from you. you are always going to be afraid and thats okay. you are going to be your worst enemy and thats so true. im writing this now with a slowly changed mindset on how im going to achieve it, im going to keep posting what i love to do and focus on my school/studies at the same time. im going to keep posting and putting myself out there & somehow, i’ll be able to finally say i made it.

Hi Jenna! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing a bit of your story with us. We’re thrilled to hear you’re feeling inspired to share your voice and passion for singing with others. As Marie often reminds us, “the world needs that special gift that only you have”, and it’s wonderful that you’re focusing on taking the next steps toward your dreams. Of course, it can be so difficult when we don’t feel supported by those close to us, and we understand how your mom’s words were hurtful for you. Often, our parents and loved ones simply want to protect us from the pain or disappointment that can come from being an artist or entrepreneur, so they encourage us to pursue more “stable” career paths.

While it’s not your job to convince others of your dreams, you can invite them into your creative process and let them know how they can support you along your journey. The great news is that in today’s world, you have powerful platforms for sharing your music and connecting with others around the world, literally at your fingertips. Of course, just like building a business you love, music careers take time, but we’d love to encourage you to keep sharing your songs– you never know who may be listening or what doors may open for you. We believe in you and we’re all cheering you on!

I am from India, and i was searching about the interpretation of dreams that we see and i got here.
More importantly i loved reading this blog. Anyways, in my last dream i saw someone said me that i have a special message for you from the other side, only one can get it and you will have it by it’s own. After that in my dream my head started to pain like deeply even, i was feeling that mild pain when i woke up. I can’t understand what it really meant. I need that help to understand that, what other side? What’s with that someone who said? Like why? Why it pained?

That’s a good question, Madhusudan! We’re not experts in dream interpretation ourselves… the dreams we’re referring to here have to do with your life’s calling, the thing you’re passionate about that you want to do but are perhaps afraid to do. We hope you find the answers you’re looking for soon!

I just found this and I needed to hear this! My “unrealistic” dream is to have my children’s book in every NYC Public School. My children’s book is called, On the Inside, it is about celebrating our common humanity. This video helped me to realize that the “unrealistic” is just in my mind. Doors have been opening, people are becoming inspired by my book, and things that I thought were “unrealistic” have happened; like Richard Rohr, who has been on SuperSoul Sunday, has endorsed my book! So much of this is stuff is in my mind and that needs to change. Thank you for this! I am so glad I found your videos! I am just starting on your podcasts! Thank you Marie!

Amazing, Louis! We’re so glad you found Marie’s work at just the right time, and that it’s helping you lean into your beautiful vision for your book. Your book and message are so very needed, and those kids in NYC all deserve to be able to soak it up. Please keep us posted – We’re all rooting for you!